Star Wars Mass Effect: Concursion
by MikeRayburn2481
Summary: 500 years after the Battle of Yavin and thirty years after the end of the Reaper War, Two advanced civilizations are entering a golden age that will lead them to an inter-galactic concursion with universal ramifications
1. Chapter 1

**Star Wars/Mass Effect: Concursion**

 **Chapter 1: In Service to the Force**

500 hundred years after the events of the Battle of Yavin IV, the Republic has morphed into the Grand Imperial Republic. A Coruscanti government now controlled by an unelected Imperial family that rotates between noble houses every six generations. There is also an Imperial Senate which holds considerable legislative powers under the auspice of the monarch whose sole job is to make sure the Senate runs smoothly, and without corruption. The new Grand Imperial Republic has grown to comprise over 1.5 million direct systems, divided into twenty thousand sectors controlled by appointed Moffs. Grand Moffs form the upper house of the Senate and work in an advise and consent role with the monarch. Soon after the reformation the Jedi have left the comfortable confines of Coruscant to return to their ancestral home of Tython. At great cost, they restored the ancient temples and have grown to their Old Republic size of around ten thousand Masters, Knights, and Padawans, all with unique focuses within the Force arts again.

In addition, the New Order has reconstituted the old Antaarian Ranger force which still trains on Toprawa but accepts faithful recruits from across the galaxy. Once graduated, they are moved to Tython where they perform duties ranging from security, piloting, and intelligence gathering. Another new branch of Force users, the Imperial Knights, are now based in the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant, and serve the Force through fanatical devotion to the Emperor, who is always a Force sensitive.

The extra-galactic invaders, the Yuzhaan Vong, had convinced the galaxy that inter-galactic threats were all too real, and to survive next time, whether a century from now or ten thousand years, the galaxy has to be more ready than it was under the loose confederation of the New Republic that almost debated their way to the end of civilization as we know it. The New Republic was born out of a backlash to the Old Empire it had replaced. Like most backlashes driven by idealism, it seemed to go too far. Attempting to transform a civilization that had been governed under various forms of centralization for twenty thousand years into a loose confederation of equal member systems, seemed a bridge too far. Its flaws evident almost instantly in the corruption and gridlock that poisoned its ill formed senate. This new status quo could've probably chugged on for a few centuries under the base momentum of an economic society as large and as old as theirs. But the Yuuzhan Vong preempted the slow death that libertarian democracy on so large a scale was sure to bring.

The citizens of the galaxy knew two things for certain after the Sekot Accords; that they wanted more stability and security than a confederation could offer, and they didn't want to go back to the old Palpatinian Empire. But not everyone agreed, and in the spirit of this new Imperial Republic, those who wished it were given leave to form their own free systems. And so was born the Galactic Alliance of Free Systems.

The Galactic Alliance comprised a handful of roughly twelve thousand systems scattered across the galaxy that did not want the stability and security offered by the Imperial Republic. These systems operated as absolute democracies as matter of admission. Being cut off from the lucrative trade benefits that came with being part of an ever expanding empire, they did their best to make up for it with their commitment to free trade within their own spheres of influence. The Jedi work under their own mandate, but consult closely with both governments. In addition, about a thousand Jedi chose to leave Tython and reassemble on Fondor under a new Council led order they called the Brotherhood of the Light. The Brotherhood began wearing white robes to distinguish themselves from their former brethren, and many were so committed to the Light side of the Force they refused to carry a weapon. After a few decades of mild tension they became the Order's closest allies in the Force.

While the new order bared no resemblance to Palpatine's, non-human houses had held the Imperial saber, the Jedi Order had decided to cut official ties with the government. They agreed to train a new order of Imperial Knights, who would take over their old temple on Coruscant, while they rebuilt their ancestral home on Tython in the Deep Core. Once Tython was remade in the image of the old Je'daii Bendu, they set about pursuing their own Force driven agenda. Quite often, their interests aligned with that of the Imperial Republic, but they were no longer the body's official peacekeepers. Under the Treaty of Ruusan signed by Empress Shasta Fel, any child with a midi-chlorian count higher than two hundred would be sent to Tython if their family allowed it. Any child under two hundred would go to the Imperial Knights on Coruscant.

Ven Sala sat back in his chair and glanced around the vast historical library at the Old City Archive, the rebuilt repository for galactic history. There were wings for many different intellectual pursuits, and was the only center of its kind on Tython. Unlike the rebuilt Temples of Healing, Science, Arts, Force and Martial skills, the Old City Archive was administered by regular citizens. The majority of Tython's population was made up of Jedi and their Antaarian allies, but there were also about ninety thousand regular citizens. Many were devoted members of the Temple of the Force, while others were adherents of other faiths attempting to escape persecution under the protection of the Order. One of which, a matriarchal order of Twi'leks, deemed heretical on Ryloth, had lived in the mountain village of Kalikori since the Great War nearly five thousand years ago.

If truth be told, Ven had spent far less time here than he should have. Not only because it was good for the Jedi to interact with the regular citizens. Since leaving Padawan Kesh, the large athletic Jedi had spent most of his time at Quigong and Stav Kesh, honing his Force and martial abilities to the point where he was quickly becoming regarded as one of the Order's preeminent blademasters. But as his old Master, Kelong Sai, had told him; "your skills and power in the Force are useless at best and dangerous at worst without the knowledge to apply them correctly." So, Ven had spent the last few months almost exclusively at Kaleth on one of the planet's more serene southern continental plains. It was a far cry from the bitter cold and high altitude that marked the setting for Stav Kesh. And if he was honest with himself, he had neglected the Order's cerebral pursuits almost entirely since his passing of the trials.

His contemplation was broken by some whispering from across the room. He looked over to see the Archive's Head Archivist, the Ithorian Momaw Bilduga, gesturing to his Padawan, Nair. Locking eyes with him, she flashed a characteristic ear cone to ear cone smile, and walked briskly over. Nair Nesboa was originally from Ryloth, a planet that had the odd descriptor of being both Republic founding world and semi-autonomous seat of its own system. This partial independence was a result of its native species inclination towards an overbearing patriarchy that saw even female relatives sold into various types of servitude. This independence usually meant the Jedi had to pay to have a Force sensitive Twi'lek female released into their care. Given Nair's deep blue skin, stunning features, and lithe but muscular figure, Ven had no doubt where she would be now had she not been chosen as a vessel of the Force. And at seventeen standard years, she was nearing her Trials.

"Master, I'm still not used to searching for you here" she said with a gentle harangue, smiling at the playful turn in their master/apprentice relationship.

"I'm still not used to finding myself here Padawan, but we are all forever growing in the Force."

"Even Grand Master Rhysode?" She asked, turning serious for a moment.

"Even she."

It was Nair who had now turned contemplative, and Ven steeped his hands in front of him. "I imagine you flew here from Padawan Kesh?"

Now she was snapped out of her thoughts, "what? No master. I mean yes. Master Nu at the Temple told me to find you and report to Kaleth. Apparently they couldn't reach you by comm."

Ven felt a rush of mild embarrassment and pulled the cylindrical com device out of his robe's inner pocket. "Yes, I turned off my comm when I came in…I guess I've been here longer than I thought."

"That's good Master. It didn't sound urgent. Plus how are you going to teach me everything if you don't know everything?"

He rose, and draped an arm across her shoulder, pulling her close to his side in a moment of lighthearted bonding before they walked out of the archives and into her waiting shuttle, bound for the Order's new home of the High Council.

Kaleth was just a forty minute flight from the Old City. The large tri-tower temple fashioned from dark Tythonian granite rose high out of the Ban Forest. While Ven could see a slight resemblance to the now Imperial Temple on Coruscant, the towers were as wide as the central building there. Each tower rose out of a wide pedestal at the base of each. High above, near the apex of each tower they were connected by a large, enclosed walkway. At the crown of each tower, sat a windowed council chamber. The western most tower council met to discuss and administer the Order's agricultural projects. The eastern tower held the meeting place for the Order's Master healers, where they planned remedies for the galaxy's various plague and war victims. The lone northern tower, whose pedestal hanger the pair of Jedi were currently landing in, held the Order's High Council.

They moved briskly, but not urgently, passed the hangar's Antaarian security guards, and into the temple proper. Like the outside, Kaleth held a rustic feel to it. The walls and columns were cut from furbished granite while the floors were made from Esselian marble. At various places throughout were bronzium statues of great Jedi of generations past. It reminded Ven of holos he had seen of the temporary temple on Yavin IV, founded by the great Master Skywalker after the fall of the Old Empire. They got into the inconspicuous lift, with its granite doors, and started the quick ride up the council chambers.

"What do you think it is master?" Nair asked, a little hesitant over her perceived nervousness.

He decided not to use the moment to impart a lesson, instead settling on the simple truth; "A mission of some kind young one. I believe if there was a galactic emergency we would see more activity."

The lift opened into a large vestibule. On either side of the old fashioned Tythonian Oak doors were two Rangers; Vedron and Calissa. Ven greeted each by name. "We have been summoned."

"Yes Knight Sala, they are waiting." A wave of the Elomin's hand opened the double doors inward. Inside they saw Jedi Douce Andiso, and her Padawan Amiono Thule, already waiting inside.

Now this room was nearly identical to the Imperial Council on Coruscant. They walked into the center of the room, over the marble floor overlaid with the symbol of the Order, and bowed deeply to the council in general, but Grand Master Rhysode in particular. The current Grand Master was a human, but for the first time in many generations humans were outnumbered on the High Council eight to four. There was a Gotal, Togorian, Togruta, Klatooinian, and two near humans; a Zeltron and a Pantoran. Two other members; a Dornean and a Whipid were present by hologram.

"Jedi Sala, Padawan Nesbo," the graying Human Grand Master intoned, her hands steeped in front of her chest in a meditative posture.

She continued without waiting for a verbal greeting from either pair, "Early this morning we received a request for assistance from Doran. Our allies in the Baran Do have lost one of the more promising students to the Dark Side of the Force. They believe he is planning a takeover of the order…and unfortunately, he has seduced a number of the younger mystics to his cause. You and your Padawans will travel to Doran and meet with Shama Heeple, one of the Council of the Path members. She will be your liason on planet."

A simple nod was all the dismissal they received and they bowed deeply in return, before turning on their heel and marching back to the vestibule, and their next mission in service to the Force.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Her Father's Daughter**

"Kaiden, you got a comm from y…Councilor Williams," Lieutenant Omura called out as he walked behind her and Private Thorsson scanning the giant terrestrial garden world of Pomal, near the inside of Hong's habitable zone.

She pointed to the handful of anomalies she saw and patted the large Scandinavian on the shoulder. For six weeks the Systems Alliance SSV Chelsea, named for the London neighborhood where humanity made its climactic assault to end the war three decades earlier, had been scouring remote systems in the Skyllian Verge for signs of Vanguard activity. The feelings of galactic unity and inter-species brotherhood lasted just past her father's funeral. Old grievances, and new ones, cropped up by the Council's second session. Earth had been left relatively unscathed during the Reaper War in comparison to the Turian and Asari homeworlds of Palaven and Thessia, and humanity had been left to inherit a sizeable chunk of the galaxy's hard power. If it wasn't outcries of favoritism in the new Council's allocation of rebuilding materials, then it was expansion rights. To top it all off, the Turians were indignant at losing their place as the Council's guard dog to the Alliance. It wasn't long before anti-Council, anti-human groups began springing up. They were fairly timid at first. A small vessel to vessel skirmish here, a small bombing of a human colony government center there. That all changed three years ago. The Vanguard had styled themselves as the biotic defenders of the old council. Making the Turians even more indignant The were a group led by Asari and Turian biotics who were taking it upon themselves to right these perceived wrongs, but they had support nearly everywhere. Batarians, Salarians, Vorcha, even the Volus could be counted as tacit supporters of this mission to bring the human upstarts down a peg or two. The politics were murky enough that the Alliance was left alone to play defense as the Vanguard routinely made small hit and run attacks on human colonies in the Verge before disappearing behind their respective borders. Diplomacy had resulted in placating gestures from both the Asari Republics and Turian Hierarchy, and all the Council had been able to agree on was bare intelligence reports and sending some Citadel ships to both governments to assist in search and seizure missions.

Kaiden stepped down from the star map's bridge and begrudgingly made her way to the quantum communicator just astern from the CIC.

She walked briskly past the saluting Marines guarding the entry to the comm room, and stepped onto the thorium plate in the center of the room. Once her booted feet were set, a wave of pixels encased her body, rapidly morphing the utilitarian room into a luxuriously appointed office overlooking the Tayseri Ward on the Citadel.

"Commander," the bronze skinned brunette said lightly from behind her desk. Councilor Ashley Williams had risen from career exile on Eden Prime to possibly the second greatest hero in human history. After the destruction caused by the Reaper War, she was one of the few remaining leaders with the credibility to put the pieces back together…and put them together she had.

At fifty-seven she was on the right side of middle age and still considered a striking beauty. She even had a following a young humans who had no interest in politics outside of anything she had to say.

"Councilor," Kaiden replied, trying hard to keep the discomfort from her voice and face.

The human representative on the Citadel Council pretended to thumb through information on her datapad. "We have some data here we thought could be useful-"

"Stop it mother. We both know you're just checking up on me" she said, dropping all official pretense with more bite than she felt

Her mother dropped the datapad back on her desk, "No I'm not," she retorted with little conviction. "You can ask your dad, I check up on all our new SPECTRE's."

"I did ask him. After you commed when we left Exodus. He said you do check, once," she held up a corresponding finger for effect.

The Councilor's political hold wavered and she cracked the barest hint of a smile. "So what if I am? Does my position bar me from worrying about my daughter?"

"It's always seemed to…"

"I shouldn't have said that," she said a little breathless, wiping the sweat soaked hair behind her ears.

"No, you shouldn't," Erik Thorsson said, punctuating his disapproval by rolling over and showing her his wide back.

She thought about defending herself to her furtive lover but decided against it as he turned back to her.

"I didn't know you call Captain Vega 'dad'?"

She gave him a dismissive flip of the hand. "Why wouldn't I? He's been married to my mom since I was about three."

He voiced an audible shrug, but before he could turn back over she continued. "My mother used to say when I was little, James is your dad but John Shepherd is your father, and you will always be your father's daughter."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Meaning of Cuisine**

"The situation on Doran is dire…we need you-zzzsssttt," the audio message cut off with a sharp crackle of static. Ven Sala leaned forward and hit the replay tab. The ten word message replayed again, and the puzzled Jedi Master sat back with his chin in his hand.

His Padawan sat up on her bed in their shared cabin and put down the datapad she had been reading. "What is it Master?" she asked, filling the fresh silence in the cabin.

He took a moment and then looked at her as if he didn't hear the question, but then proceeded to answer it anyway. "The message…it makes little sense."

"It sounds like a plea for assistance, which is what the Council told us they made," she said with a questioning but innocent tone.

"Yes, but why is it so short? Why do they sound like they're under some sort of distress?" he now fully turned to face his young apprentice.

"Maybe they were."

"But when the Council returned the comm Shalma Heeple said that the young ran from the Temple in the middle of the night…anguish I could understand, even anxiousness for the fate of your students, but fear?"

He let the question hang while Nair pondered his suspicions, the lekku that stored much of the Twi'lek brain writhing in contemplative rhythm about her neck and shoulders. "They were afraid their core beliefs, their way of life, were unravelling. I can only imagine your tone Master if half the Padawans defied the Council and absconded off to the Mataki Mountains in the middle of the night."

Ven leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Finally he moved his clenched hands away from his mouth and looked at the young Twi'lek. "Very good answer Nair. You thought divergently and critically. But be careful to always find the middle ground between optimism and pessimism when on missions, as both can be equally dangerous. While beings are generally of the Light and all make mistakes, always remember servants of the Dark abound, and the vast majority do not wield a crimson saber…or even know it is the Darkness that they serve."

"I understand Master," she answered with a studious expression.

Their instructional moment was interrupted by the _wooshing_ of the cabin door as it disappeared into its recess in the wall. Standing with a powerful hand gripping either side of the threshold was Jedi Knight Douce Andiso. In his recent forays into academia Ven had come across Douce's Jedi ancestor, and was dumbfounded by their resemblance after half a millennia and who knows how many ethnic divergences through the family tree. Quinlan Vos had been a powerful Jedi Master during the penultimate age of the Old Republic. Serving the Order during a period when the absence of their Antaarian allies meant the Jedi did their own undercover work, Quinlan Vos was the best the Order had in the field of espionage. This work brought him to the conspicuous caresses of the Dark Side on numerous occasions, but in the end Vos had remained a servant of the Light. While his actions had been crucial to the Republic's victory, the coming months after his heroics on Boz Pity and Salucemai would prove that he, like all the Jedi from that era, had been played like a lute by Darth Sidious. Regret and guilt over his help in the facilitation of the Galactic Empire plagued him, Quinlan's shadow role helped him to avoid the gruesome Order 66. He fled to the Outer Rim with his wife-to-be Khaleen Hentz where they would go on to have three children, one of whom beginning a line which would finally produce the powerful Jedi standing before them. Apart from a slightly lighter shade of bronze skin, one of the only distinguishing factors between Douce and his ancestor were the lack of Kiffar tattoos.

"Am I interrupting a lesson?" he asked with a slight smile.

"Only the culmination of one Douce, what's going on?" Ven asked, still seated.

"My Padawan has made us dinner, and would be honored if you would join and give your honest opinion. It may be overconfidence but she has begun spending a lot of time with Master Ffazzet at Stav Kesh," he finished with a playful roll of his eyes.

Ven and Nair stood. "Absolutely. I'm famished. Master?"

"Of course. I'm not 'famished' but I am also no longer a teenager," he flashed a knowing smile to Douce as they three walked out into the central corridor of the Jedi Consular Cruiser.

"Master Ffazzet is the Chadra-Fan instructor at the culinary wing of Stav Kesh?" Nair asked as they walked.

He could just see her making a face of something that could be mistaken for disapproval, but said nothing of it…yet.

It wasn't until after the delectable three course meal that began with a Mort Egg boiled in groat milk, Fodu with Mehlanese fire sauce, and a glazed Almakian apple for dessert, that Nair circled back to her earlier presumption.

"Amiono, while your skill with cuisine provided a memorable meal and instigated pleasant conversation between us, do you believe that it should be a focus of a soon to be Jedi Guardian?"

Nair had asked her question as politely as possible, with a wide smile and a hand reached across the table resting in front of her fellow Padawan, but still the Duros shifted in his seat. His protective Master began to stir but Ven stopped him with a pointed look.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable Ami-" she said, reaching out even further.

The Duros sat up straighter and rested a blueish green four-fingered hand on her proffered one.

"No, it's quite alright…I believe while all Jedi have a focus area in which they excel, we should all work to be as well-rounded as possible. Cuisine is my balance from Force power and martial skill."

Nair started to sit back, and for a moment it looked as if that would suffice for the young Twi'lek, but then she stopped halfway. "I guess my real question is…should Jedi devote time to training in luxuries? Cooking, music, art, calligraphy; all have a place in life but I just don't see it as necessary in our lives."

This time it was Ven who started to speak up but Amiono beat him to it. "It is a necessity for all life."

"How so?" she asked with no accusation or malice, but with authentic inquisitiveness.

Amiono took a moment before starting again. He seemed to change tact just before speaking and stammered as he changed course. "Let me tell you a story about my world."

True to her innocent nature Nair nodded and leaned in closer. Ven and Douce appropriated a look of contented pride across the table from each other.

"As you know Duros is only habitable in large domed cities. The atmosphere has been poisoned and the climate has changed into a inhospitable wasteland, you know this, yes?"

Nair nodded emphatically.

"But do you know why?"

She shook her head just as quickly.

"Well I'll tell you. Long before the advent of the technology that would take us to the stars, my people were a devoutly religious people. We obediently worshipped a creator deity known as Ahm. We prayed six times a day without fail and sought to regulate the behavior of our neighbors. We used Ahm as a way to explain the misery that pervaded our primitive society; war, famine, oppression, natural disasters. Naturally, Ahm could not be a benevolent creator and allow this to happen to us, so we made it our fault. We were not pious enough…never pious enough. We had to rationalize this miserable life with the promise of something greater…a next life. A netherworld where everything would be greater, and perfect for all time. And if you start to devalue your world spiritually, you will-"

"-Start to devalue it materially" Nair finished.

"Exactly. So we began neglecting our world…this reality was only preparation for Ahm's eternity so what did it matter?...and had it not been for the Coruscanti explorers who decided to make contact with us rather than leaving us to our self-induced demise, I would not be here today. That contact brought us together with other beings, a reality that contradicted the holy scripts of Eya Makura, and other belief systems. It brought us the Force. And it was the Force that taught us _this_ reality is the gift of creation. There is no hidden treasure in the netherworld of the Force. We are born into the treasure that is creation, and our purpose as I see it is to make sure as many lifeforces as possible get to experience this gift of the Force that is life. To do that we must ensure the best possible material future for all beings. Those living beside us today, and those Force-willing who will be born a millennia from now. But that includes us. While we serve the gift that is life we must not forsake it for ourselves. The experience of food, song, art, beauty are too precious and too bountiful to be forsaken. And as one of those surviving Duros, I owe it to those who died never knowing this truth, to live fully."

Nair wiped a tear from under her eye and sat back, as Douce clasped the shoulder of his Padawan next to him. "Well said young one, well said."

"I second that," Ven said raising his cup of water. He was soon by the other three as their ship hurdled through subspace to whatever awaits.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Where did it come from?" Kaiden asked, leaning over the shoulder of her pilot, Li Deijang.

"the belt," answered the succinct thirty year old from the mega city of Taipei, indicating a point on Tereshkova's massive asteroid belt.

"Can we get a look?"

His reply came by way of hitting a button on his console that peeled back the _Virmire's_ palladium shutters. On interstellar ships capable of navigating by computer alone, viewports were a luxury.

The dim light of Tereshkova's cool red twin suns poured in to the cockpit and over her like a decontamination scanner. She put out a hand in an attempt to shield enough of the light to see anything.

"Hold a moment boss," Li said, reading her squinting expression and inputting some commands on his drive console.

The _Virmire_ began to turn to port, relegating the reddish orange light to the top right corner of the viewport.

With the glare gone she could just make out the dual blue lights of a small transport shuttle heading towards the Venusian-like hothouse world of Patamalrus.

She put a firm hand on Li's shoulder, "and you're sure they didn't scan us before we cloaked?"

She got a dubious look in return. "Not in that thing."

"Good. Keep it that way but stay on them. Time to suit up," she flashed a predatory smile that her pilot returned.

She clasped the crimson-striped gray N7 armor shoulder piece on to Erik's right arm and gave it a reassuring knock with her gauntleted fist, a gesture that was more ritual than practical in the 23rd century. She looked around at the four man Marine unit that was standing at attention in their Hydra, Predator, and Explorer armor.

They had tracked the small shuttle to a cleverly constructed base, hanging from an orbital buoy that kept the small facility suspended above Patamalrus's crushing atmosphere, but also obscured it below the greenhoused mesosphere.

The Marines had settled on a dull yellow armor shade to blend in with the planet's mustard gas like atmosphere the combination of magnesia and Sulphur created. The two SPECTRE's on the other hand were wearing their traditional Onyx armor, Kaiden a medium set while Erik wore a heavy set, which would give them all the camouflage they needed on the iridium gray facility.

She checked the power on her M-6 Carnifex Hand Cannon and holstered it, before looking over her assembled team. While Erik had been an agent of the Council for over two years, he was on temporary reassignment on the _Virmire_ while his ship, the _Verdun,_ was dry docked for repairs. That meant she was in command. A position that was only unfamiliar in her current status as a SPECTRE, the elite operatives that answered solely to the Citadel Council.

Her helmet under one arm, she palmed back her short black hair. "This is the first lead we've gotten on the Vanguard, and I intend to make the most of it. While I doubt we will find any of the Circle aboard, they wouldn't construct a facility like this just to turn it into a waystation or medcenter," she began, using the Vanguard's chosen name for their own council of four leaders. "You four will shuttle drop onto the western landing pad ninety seconds after SPECTRE Thorsson and I have HALO inserted on to the roof of the central hub and neutralized the lookouts. After, you will move to the facility's western entrance while we push towards you from the east. We link up in the middle. Any questions?"

As usual with experienced Marines, like this unit from Loki in the Exodus Cluster, there were none.

"Alright then…let's get to it Marines," she snapped on her dark visored helmet and felt it click comfortably into place.

She walked around MAKO-1 in the shuttle bay and dropped into a crouch, ostensibly waiting for the red in her HUD to tell her the ramp was about to lower, but in actuality she had realized on her first mission as a Marine private that she had adopted her mother's faith in an intelligent creator and the ritual of prayer. Her belief in an unseen, unproven designer placed her in a slight minority but she had long since stopped caring about the bemusement or ridicule her beliefs stirred. If she had learned anything during her time in space, it's that humanity's arrogance about the cause and reason for their being was wholly unearned.

Like most spiritual humans, she had never believed in an intervening deity or an afterlife of rewards, but she believed it had a will for her life and she asked for the strength to live it. She broke this solemn request a moment before a light in the upper left corner of her HUD flashed red. She stood and gave a thumbs up to Erik, who despite being one of the "enlightened" had never ridiculed her antiquated beliefs, and didn't now, instead reaching out a closed fist which she bumped in reply.

The _Virmire's_ ramp cracked open against the always unanticipated silence and stillness of space. They walked slowly down the lowering ramp, reaching the edge as the red in their HUD transitioned to green. Without a moment's hesitation they jumped out of the dashing SR-1 and into the black of the planet's exosphere.

It took just fifteen seconds before they passed into the soupy mesosphere, and for SPECTRE's like Erik the reliance on technology became absolute. But for Kaiden, she shared this as yet unexplained instinctiveness with nearly all Biotics. Biotic ability had always been explained as the ability to manipulate matter with the mind by creating a moveable mass effect field. The telepathy or foresight that seemed to accompany the most powerful biotics had no theoretical or scientific evidence and therefore had been written off as a form of placebo effect. Whatever it was, she could sense the rapidly approaching base moments before her HUD began mapping out the updated approach vector to the newly acquired structure.

A second after disappearing into gaseous fog they passed the giant beryllium buoy. A half second after that their impact shields, a blue, almost holographic looking field surrounded Kaiden. The shield was projected from her armor and took the shape of the armor it was meant to protect. She focused her mind on her body's center and began drawing biotic power to her core. She curled herself into a ball a moment before the facility's central hub leapt out of the murky gas layer like a steel fist and she landed on it in a crouch, bringing her left fist down around in front of her as she did. The power she had been drawing to her center was released through her left fist in a torrent of a mass effect field that cascaded across the roof, knocking the nearest lookout over the grated railings and down into the even murkier depths of the planet's atmosphere. The second lookout was further off and had only been knocked off his feet and into the waist high grating to her right. Before she had even retracted her fist from the ground she had pulled her M-6 from her right hip holster and placed two shredder rounds into the visor of the rising sentry.

Erik landed a second later, rising immediately with his HMWA Assault Rifle sweeping left to right. The big man from Arvuna in the Caleston Rift gave his approval on her handiwork and indicated the side of the roof at the same time. They moved quickly around the buoy's tether and peered over the side.

 _Nothing,_ she thought. _So far so good_. She moved back to the western side to see the shuttle's four landing thrusters light up the yellow fog above as it made its rapid descent.

The marines moved out quickly and hustled across the catwalk. Kaiden smiled in her helmet as she jogged back to Thorsson but inwardly she couldn't shake a creeping feeling of unease.

The two SPECTRE's dropped down to the lower adjoining roof and moved past a couple darkened skylights. It was 0630 local time and she doubted the Vanguard were keeping military discipline. Dropping down to the concrete sidewalk on the eastern side, they moved to the small scanner protected door. Erik placed a small Sci-Div created disruptor on the biometric scanner, and the small insect like device burrowed it's samarium legs into the reader and began its clicking and whirring. To a technologically obtuse soul like Kaiden that meant the device was working. That elementary view was confirmed a moment later when the door slid open.

The facility was as far removed from Alliance military decor as it could get. Flora and fauna lined corridors painted in muted pastels. The atmosphere was almost… _pleasant_ she thought briefly until her hair seemed to stand on end. She reached out her free hand to pull Erik back as they rounded the first corner, but she couldn't reach him in time and the next thing she knew they were both hurtling down the cross corridor.

Kaiden knew immediately what was happening and rolled with the biotic force, coming up on a knee behind a small terrarium and firing rounds back down the hallway at their ambushers. Erik was still crawling to safety, his shields popping in and out of existence with each mass accelerated round that found its mark.

Her danger sense sparked again from behind and she turned to see two more Vanguards round the corner behind them. She greeted them with a series of shredder rounds that tore apart the corner of the wall, forcing them back out of view…for the moment. She risked a glance back towards their first two attackers who were now charging down the corridor. She unleased a couple more rounds each way and unloaded her biotic power on the wall next to her. The lightweight plastercast crumbled inward and she grabbed Erik under his arm and pulled him with her through the newly created portal.

Once inside the small sleeping pod she tossed an inferno grenade back out the hole as Thorsson jumped to his feet, grabbed a nearby bunk bed, and pulled it across the impromptu door.

It was his turn to pick her up now and they made their way through the sleeping quarters, both trying to think their way out of this trap. Distant gunfire told them all they needed about Varren Team's situation, but the shouts and curses in their helmet com added a clear punctuation regardless.

"Someone screwed us" Erik spat while they both moved in standard room clearance patterns, moving beds and tables to block their path as they passed.

"Jack has sympathizers everywhere, looks like CI is no different," she bit back, using the acronym for the Systems Council Intelligence agency that was assisting the Alliance in their search and destroy mission…the Patamalrus tip had come from them.

Up ahead they could see what appeared to be a darkened mess hall. It was bathed in a faint yellow light from the two large skylights above they had passed on the roof just minutes earlier. Her danger sense spiked, but again too late to warn Erik, whose assault rifle flew from his hands and disappeared behind a line of rising forms whose uniformly feminine silhouettes were now outlined by the orangish-red flash of pistols opening fire on them.

Kaiden felt the tingling hand of a mass effect field envelop her and she knocked it away with a field of her own. Erik had immediately pulled his shotgun from the back of his waist and began firing on the move, his SPECTRE training taking over. She saw one silhouette drop, and then another, before he was picked up off the ground and slammed back down, the impact shattering the rest of his shield's life…and undoubtedly his body.

Angry and growing desperate, she picked up a dining table with a field and then whipped her arm, the motion causing the field to send the fifteen foot makeshift projectile clattering into the tables the Vanguard biotics were using for cover.

She could've used the momentary reprieve to try and flank but there were just too many. Instead she rushed to Erik's side and turned him over. As she did an involuntary spasm racked his body and sent blood flying from his mouth…she knew immediately, but humans were anything if not stubborn.

"Come on big man, back the way we came," she tried desperately to sound optimistic, but the Scandinavian just raised a skeptical blonde eyebrow.

"Don't be ridiculous. Even if you could carry me…my armor's starting to tighten," he half-coughed but did his best to exude calm resignation. They both knew the tightening armor meant massive internal bleeding.

Kaiden bit back a tear while firing off to her left, the tables Erik landed behind giving them a bit of fleeting protection. Her heart was warring with her head, and it was Erik who broke the stalemate.

"Give me…that," he hoarsed, gesturing towards the rifle on her back, "I'll cover you, now go."

There was no time for parting words, she enveloped herself in a barrier and roadie ran back the way they had come. She looked back once to see Erik courageously rising to a crouch behind the table and firing at the tormenting shadows of the biotic extremists.

At the door she saw the first two that had thrown them down the corridor moving in their light blue/black armor, past the overturned beds and nightstands they had left for them. The lead Vanguard, a young Asari given her deep blue hue, smiled fiercely as she saw her. She cleared the last of the obstructions and broke into a full sprint. Kaiden waited, before pulling open the bathroom door with an ME field into her smiling face.

Satisfying as it was, it was only a temporary solution as there were more filing into the room from the damaged wall. She turned back to the mess hall. Erik turned to her and nodded, before standing through what had to be intolerable pain, and charging the steadily creeping attacking force. She wouldn't waste his sacrifice.

She generated another field and used it to grab another mess table. This time she held it in stasis three meters off the ground. Behind her she could hear the two attackers, now joined by more, closing fast. She moved what felt like the last biotic power she had in reserve to her legs and took off at a flat out run for the levitating table. She continued firing her hand cannon as she bounded off the table, expelling the mass effect field through her legs as she did, catapulting up through the skylight and onto the roof where they had begun their ill-fated mission. She spared a quick glance through the shattered skylight, the magnetic pressurized field that activated in case of breach obscuring the ruckus below, but not enough to keep her from seeing a dying Erik Thorrson, riddled with shredder rounds, looking back up at her from the mess hall floor.

She shut her eyes in despair and let her anger and will to survive take over. She climbed up to the tower roof they had landed on thirty minutes ago and ran past the buoy tether…before a feeling of rage made her turn back. She hit the tether with a warp field and tried to crumple it apart, but the last of her energy dissipated in a wave of sweat that poured over her face. She turned back and ran to the side of the roof, not even sparing a look before leaping down to the lower adjoining roof. She came up in a roll and made another jump to the catwalk below.

She got her feet under her again and sprinted down the catwalk for the shuttle. She could hear a door open behind her and she shot behind her until the M-6 shut down in a pathetic hiss of rejection against its inner temperature. Shredder rounds ricocheted off her shields as she dove into the opening bay door.

The door closed against the sound of pings and thuds as ammo the size of a grain of sand, propelled by an artificial mass effect field, slammed into the shuttles exterior.

She shrugged off the pain and climbed to her knees before getting up and banging on the cockpit door.

The shuttle pilot, Devindra Singh, opened it to find his charge brusquely jerking him out of his seat. She climbed in and turned the shuttle back to the base.

"Commander Shepherd! Our shields won't hol-" the former pilot was yelling as she closed the cockpit door. She could see the legion of biotic extremists filing out of the base like ants from a stepped on anthill. A base that comfortably held twenty must have had closer to fifty on this day. She did her best to swerve around their blaster fire as she bore down on her target.

They made it over the central hub with shields at nine percent before she turned the shuttle at a ninety degree turn beside the damaged tether, the shuttles sublight wash finishing the job her biotic warp had begun. The tether broke and the base of their doom began its inexorable slide towards the crushing depths of Patamalrus, and her heart held not a single regret as the shuttle burned upwards towards their pickup spot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Truth Behind the Veil**

To nearly all the sentient beings in the galaxy, Dorin looked to be anything but habitable from orbit. Its surface nothing more than a mottled swirl of purple and orange capped by large ice shelfs gave it the appearance of a small gas planet rather than a terrestrial world bearing life. That initial appearance sharpened into a surreal picture for Ven and the other H2O breathers when the Jedi Cruiser landed on the open air pad at Kel Tahara, the Baron Do Temple, where a purple sky draped over orange stalactite-like mountains, interspersed with methane geysers sometimes shooting hundreds of feet into the thick air.

They walked down the ramp to see a stoic looking Kel-Dor in thin, flowing black garments. Ven, still trying to ease into the thin bio-suit under his robes, approached the Baron Do Councilor with an outstretched hand. He had never seen one of their kind without their own methane re-breathers on and imagined the alien probably found it fitting that finally oxygen breathers were subjected to the same hindrance. Since the Great Expansion, Coruscant had expended a great deal of money and energy terraforming settled worlds to match the capital's gravity and air mixture. They even implemented a convoluted system of time that would keep all Republic worlds mostly in sync with the Jewel of the Core. Most seemed to prefer eating breakfast at sunrise and keeping their own time, but for all official duties, Coruscant's time was the standard.

"Shama Heeple," he announced through his clear facemask.

The alien unclasped its long taloned hands and folded one over his chest rather than take Ven's proffered arm. "It is I. Please, this way."

Ven withdrew his hand a bit awkwardly and flashed a look at his Padawan, who offered a fairly undiplomatic look of her own.

The Temple did its best to blend into its surroundings. It was almost all red stonework and high sharp angles except for some obsidian ovals Ven couldn't make out a purpose for. They entered through a high angled archway, but after a momentary respite from the harsh atmosphere they were back outside in some sort of courtyard.

Shama Heeple would've had made a horrible tour guide. Only once did he point out a pair of students walking with old paper texts under their arms. Throughout the ten minute walk to the council chambers they saw no training areas or martial training of any kind. Just old style archives and small meditative spheres. Ven now saw the obsidian made for natual bubble windows that splayed unique shadowy light formations across the corridor walls.

After a silent five minute journey throughout the temple interior their guide stepped aside and motioned them through a large stone door that collapsed inward as they approached. Inside were five more Kel-Dor that to Ven looked indistinguishable from Shama Heeple. All wore the same nearly see through flowing black garments, and stood together before breaking up their private conversation to inspect the visitors.

Finally one of the Kel-Dor broke away from the pack and approached the Jedi. "Master Sala, Knight Andiso, I am Kallal Soog, we would like to thank you for assisting us in this our most dire time," he inclined his head but still kept his hands together in front of him.

"It is our duty Kallal Soog, especially when it concerns matters of the Dark Side" the Jedi Master bowed in return, this time keeping his hands inside the folds of his robe. "But I must admit given the distress com we were expecting a more…well a more dire scene."

Kallal Soog blinked his bright yellow eyes, his olfactory mandibles beside his small mouth rising briefly. "We place our trust in the Force, which provides us little reason for panic…not unlike your own order."

Ven flashed a knowing smile. "Of course…can I ask what became of the adept that placed the emergency comm?"

The mystics in the back stirred briefly as Kallal walked to a stone table in the center of the meditation daises. "Unfortunately, she was killed by the leader of this rebellion, Zo Berok," he said activating the stone holo-table, revealing the profile of a younger looking Kel-Dor female.

Ven could only guess at that age approximation by the rotating close-ups lack of facial creases. "Killed?" Douce Andiso finally said.

"Unfortunately yes. She attempted to prevent the misguided youths from escaping with some of our most prized texts…and they killed her."

"Killed her with what?" Douce continued.

Kallal's face seemed to tighten as he cast a sideway's glance at the Jedi. "What else Jedi? The Force."

"What caused this fall? Why rebel?" Ven asked.

"They have taken up the notion that our way is too…passive. They believe we should take a more forceful role in shaping galactic events," Soog answered quickly.

Andiso nodded knowingly. "The impetuousness of youth is a natural, but dangerous flaw if not tempered".

"Too right Jedi…too right".

"You-" the air in the room seemed to take on a new feel as energy began to spark around the closed fists of the intensely Asari.

"Failed-" she opened her hand and brought it up sharply. Two meters away the Turian man in front of her rose into the air, grasping at the invisible hand that had lifted him by the neck.

"For the last time!" she extended her raised arm and the choking man flew backwards through the air and out the plasma based viewport and into the blackness of space. Wind whipped and loose objects clattered to the ground before the emergency shutters sealed the dangerous vacuum.

The Primarch of the Vanguard Order looked at the Asari left standing next to the empty space her comrade had filled a moment before.

"She's stronger than we thought-" the blue skinned alien of the all-female race began.

"-Forty of our best!" the heavily decorated female with the shaved head snapped as she stalked down the line of what were supposed to be her subordinates. "I don't care how much of her father she inherited, she should never have left Patamalrus alive…however, we may be able to spin this to our advantage".

"How many did we lose?" she released some of her pent up anger in a long exhale.

"Including Kalen?" one of the younger Archons risked.

"Do I look like I'm in the mood for your fucking jokes?" the Primarch snapped, her nose almost touching her underlings. Tre'shaka T'kaze held her gaze for a moment before averting her eyes. Being the youngest and one of the most powerful Biotics in the order had made her arrogant, and at times antagonistic and she could only push so far.

"Forty eight Primarch," the lone Krogan offered.

The Primarch, Elishi D'arus, paced back and forth in front of her remaining council members, hands locked behind her waist. Even for an Asari she was considered beautiful, and at 428 years old she was just entering her prime. She also had a mystique that none of her compatriots could match. As a former Justicar she was the most powerful, and her position fit right into the Vanguard's well-crafted public mantra of bringing justice back to the galaxy.

She stopped pacing and turned back to her Archons. "Get in touch with our friend on Thessia, I have a story for her."

"Of course Primarch," Tre'shaka said.

After two days of scouring the Zoan Le Mountains the four Jedi had narrowed the fallen Baron Do down to an elaborate cave system. It was Douce's Padawan, Amiono, who got close enough to feel their Force presence before calling the other three to his location.

Ven led Nair down into the crevice between two flat plates and into a dark cave. Their collection of blue, yellow, and green energy swords their only light as they rounded bubbling pools of yellowish methane. Finally they found a small opening and Ven signaled Douce to take the left side of the darkened warren with his Padawan.

Once they split up the air, always strange on Kel-Dor, took an even more exotic feel. Colors started to run together for a moment and strange sounds began to echo off the cavernous walls.

He looked back to Nair, whose eyes looked almost glassy behind her clear faceplate before bulging wide. Ven snapped around in time to see a giant Terantatek charge out of the darkness in front of them.

 _A Sith beast!? How is this possible?_ Ven thought near panic, an emotional state he hadn't felt since his trials. His lapse in composure might have cost him any chance to stop the ancient Dark Side creature before it reached them. He launched into a front flip and readied his saber to plunge through the animal's scapula, but remarkably he came down meters behind the two meter long predator.

He turned back in time to see it run head long into his Padawan, and the young Twi'lek was sent careening into a wide row of thin stalactites behind her. He launched into another Force jump, and this time his depth perception was true, his brilliant blue saber plunging down through the back of the supposedly extinct animal's head.

The animal collapsed far easier than he had thought it should, and sent him flying forward, coming to a rest an arm's length away from his Padawan. He felt her with a hand as well as the Force and could tell she was unconscious but unharmed. His inspection was interrupted by an impossibly loud shout from the same direction the Terentatek had leapt out of.

He scrambled to his feet and ran into the heavy darkness below. The angry calls continued from in front of him until he rounded a shallow turn and came into a small, dank grotto, filled with the first artificial light he had seen in the form of holo-lanterns.

The orange light cast a pall over several large Kel-Dors. Unlike their brethren in the temple, these mystics wore black armor under their vestments, were a head taller than Shama Heeple, and lightning played at their fingertips. Their leader, who wore the same face as the image they had been shown at Kel Tahara, unleashed a torrent of crackling lightning that Ven just caught on his blade. He absorbed the dangerous element through sheer grit until the stream was broken.

He wasted no time, leaping to the makeshift platform Zo Berok had launched her attack from. The menacing alien towered over him as she brought up her long taloned hands for another strike. Ven brought back his blade to cut off the attack at its source before it began, but before he could the leader had fallen to her knees, hands splayed out before her in supplication. Before he could register the surreal change, she was back to her full height, splaying lightning between her hands.

 _The Terentatek…the air…_ he looked at the other rebel leaders around the grotto and saw another go from eight feet tall and threatening to six feet tall and pleading in the time it took a holo to change feeds. _This isn't real._ He lowered his saber as the Kel-Dor in front of him continued his hallucinogenic dance.

"Aaahhhhh!" he turned around to see Douce flying through the air at the hallucination in front of him. Ven extinguished his saber and reached out a hand, catching Douce's wrist as he landed, before applying some pressure and dropping the lit blade into his free hand.

"What are you doing!?" he yelled through the pain of Ven's grip.

"This isn't real," he said as calmly as possible. It took a moment for the bewilderment to morph into realization…and finally anguish.

Once accepted, the grotto and its inhabitants began to change permanently. The two Jedi found themselves standing next to a circle of Kel-Dor, hands interlocked and rocking back and forth as they sat in meditative postures. The sorcery lifted, they began to break their Force trance and rise to meet there would be executioners.

Ven released Douce's wrist and looked at his friend. "Amiono?"

The Knight just shook his head before collapsing into a brotherly embrace. The Baron Do rebels waited patiently for the Jedi to acknowledge them.

"We are very sorry for your loss Master Jedi, but I promise it was not our Weekalks that killed him. They are…were…merely an alert system, without the capability of killing anything bigger than one of your akks."

"Your apprentice was killed by the belief he was being killed. A belief implanted to make you do their bidding" another of the youths offered meekly from behind their leader.

"Whose bidding?" a still foggy and distressed Douce croaked.

"The Council of the Path," Ven answered for them to a disheartened nod from the Kel-Dor that now looked unmistakably like the being who placed the distress com that brought them here.

"And your Zo Berok I presume."

"It is I," the young Kel-Dor said, offering her arm in the traditional human greeting.

With their sorcery unveiled the true Dark Side Baron Do were without defenses and they knew it. The young apprentices who had risked everything to disrupt the plans of those they had idolized, led the Jedi through the illusory maze the Council of the Path erected as a last ditch effort to keep the Jedi away. Finally arriving at the great stone door to the council chamber, Ven eschewed rank to allow Douce the honor.

Douce strode through the opening doors with purpose, igniting his green saber and pointing it at Kallal Soog, rising from his meditative circle in the center of the room. The rest of the Council was gone.

"You are all being placed in preventative custody by the authority of the Jedi Order," he said calmly but forcefully, his Jedi training overcoming his desire for vengeance.

"The Jedi have no authority over the Baron Do," the Kel-Dor breathed, his hissing words like venom.

"There is no jurisdiction in matters of the Force, now come with us. But you can lodge your complaint with the Grand Imperial Republic."

As Douce spoke Kallal Soog began to walk and swirl his arms in a clockwise manner. The others behind him began to mimic his motions, their arms moving faster with every rotation.

"They are summoning a whirlwind!" Zo Berok yelled over the steadily rising swirl of winds. "You must stop them!"

Douce looked to Ven, who looked to Nair. He extinguished his lightsaber and the three Jedi took a running start before launching off the raised floor, and flying vertically with a front leg outstretched in a classic Teras Kasi flying front kick.

Douce found purchase first, his booted foot hammering into Soog's solar plexus and sending the Grand Sage flying into the great obsidian window covering the back wall. Ven and Nair took out the Master Sages on either side of him, before dropping into simultaneous leg sweeps that dropped two more. Douce blocked a taloned hand from the last standing Councilor before finishing her with a roundhouse to the alien's right mandible.

Ven walked back to pick up Soog out of the convex window. "We cannot sit by and watch tyranny spread…how can you?" the Baron Do leader coughed at a bewildered Ven Sala.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Aneesa V'aka looked over the bridge of _Destiny's Reign_ as the Asari flagship slipped out of the Citadel's arms like one of Earth's octopi leaving its cave. Aneesa chuckled inwardly at her allusion to the humans. She, like many, had been both enthralled with and apprehensive about the galaxies newest arrival. They were a mystery to her, and as an Asari naval commander, one she hadn't had the opportunity to crack through experience. She had heard they were short-lived but often wise beyond their years, irrational and heroic, often at the same time. Suffice to say, they were remarkable. But also disconcerting. The human's life span of a hundred and fifty years or so, seemed tailored for a high population. Unlike the Asari, who may give birth once or twice in a thousand years, the average human woman would have two children in sixty. This birthrate meant the human's population was large and growing exponentially. Add to that their incredible military prodigiousness and the circumstance that had left them with the galaxy's largest fleet and many, Aneesa included, were more than slightly worried about the prospect of a burgeoning human ascendency.

She shook off the pessimistic thoughts and focused on the panorama of stars in front of her. With the Reapers gone and the only simmering conflict having died down in the last year since the massacre at Patamalrus, the _Ascendency_ didn't get too many opportunities for a run out. So when an Asari science team reported the discovery of a new mass relay hidden within a chunk of ice out past the Hawking Eta, The Asari Councilor Heda Omino, leapt at the chance to launch the flagship in its dedication. Aneesa wasn't sure if she believed the story that had erupted in the Thessian news services claiming the daughter of Shepherd had destroyed the Vanguard station without provocation, but it didn't really matter. The massacre, or battle, had put the Citadel on a knife edge. With the two week journey laid in she retired to her cabin for the night, thoughts of humans banished from her mind.

"So the Baron Do were on to something? We are working with the Imperial Republic on the Outbound Flight II Project?" Ven asked, unable to keep the accusatory tone out of his voice.

Grand Master Rhysode looked unimpressed. "We are not exporting any government. The Grand Imperial Republic are our allies in the Force and their Imperial Knights will assist in stabilizing the wormhole. Like us, they are curious about the projects implications…and as they are our allies we had no reason to deny the Empresses request."

Ven was still a little uneasy but remembered his place. "Yes Master. I understand," he bowed his head deeply as his Padawan did the same beside him.

"You will join Rand Jonibe, Yiorndo Salm, and their Padawans, rendezvousing with the Imperial cruiser _Pellaeon_ before traveling to the Rishi Maze. May the Force be with you," the Grand Master intoned, his tightness at Ven's earlier recalcitrance gone.

After they had entered the lift to head down to the base of the Temple at Kaleth, Nair pulled down her hood and turned her head to Ven sharply, whipping her lekku around behind her. "What was that about Master?"

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you Padawan?" he answered without looking at the veteran apprentice.

"I don't care about being embarrassed. I care that you could identify with the same beings that killed Amiono…even for a moment."

"I wasn't identifying with them young one. I was simply attempting to make sure the Council had thought of all the repercussions in linking this project to an empire that continues to expand, whether that expansion is by force or petition. It was foolish and arrogant, assuming I had thought of something the Council hadn't considered and dismissed, and I apologize."

Now he did turn to look at her with a soft smile. "I promise they will not hold my prideful defiance against you when it comes to your Trials."

She backhanded him in the chest before the lift doors opened and they pulled up their hoods again, concealing a private laugh as they walked to the Temple hangar.

The _Pellaeon_ was a galaxy class Super Dreadnaught that spanned nearly nine miles from stern to bow, and came equipped with three underside hangars big enough to land their Jedi Cruiser in. It employed and housed over ten thousand crew as well as a full battalion of Stormtroopers and the 181st and 183rd flight squadrons consisting of a hundred and twenty fighters, bombers, and assault carriers. It certainly did not strike Ven as an exploratory vessel. He understood the need for security when entering a new galaxy considering what came out of one five hundred years prior but…he couldn't shake the feeling the _Pellaeon_ was chosen for its ability to instill awe or even fear in whoever we met in the small barred spiral galaxy the scientists predicted the newly formed wormhole in the Rishi Maze connected with.

After their arrest Kallal Soog had made an impassioned plea to the Jedi Council that they could not in good conscience remain in passivity as the Imperial Republic expanded its reach into nearby galaxies. In the end Soog and the others were verbally rapped on the knuckles, since the only being that had been killed was one of their own at the hands of frightened and fleeing students, they were confined to Dorin and their threat was brought to the attention of the Empress. While Ven understood the position of Grand Master Rhysode and the other Councilors that the Baron Do were still conflating Palpatine's Empire with the modern GIR, he had felt darkness in them, and couldn't see the wisdom in their release. It all came back to appearances. A human dominated empire granting mercy to non-human monks concerned about humanity's power. It was that appearance that had fueled his unease with this mission in the first place.

Ven was the first to walk down the ramp into the friendly but firm grip of Imperial Knight Gaedus Conn. While surface allies, the Imperial Knights had a bit of a friendly rivalry/inferiority complex when it came to their old teachers from Tython. The red armored, black caped Force users didn't want for attention. As the Imperial Republic's first line of defense they undertook the most high profile missions, and did so without the Jedi's aversion to publicity. Still, maybe it was the Treaty's stipulations towards midi-chlorian counts, or the galaxy's affinity for historical holos, but sightings of Imperial Knights could still never generate the same awe and adulation as the brown robes of the ancient order.

"Master Sala," the human Imperial Knight with graying black hair and beard said as he took Ven's bare hand in his gauntleted one.

"Master Conn," Ven replied to one of the Empire's six Masters, including the current Empress. "I wasn't aware the Empress was sending us such a powerful tool." Ven applied the subtle jab with a playful smile. While the Imperial Knights were enemies of the Dark Side, they also couldn't necessarily be classified as servants of the Light. They were somewhere in between but shared much of their philosophy with the Jedi. However, one major divergence was their view of the Force as simply a tool to be used for whatever aim its user intended. This Sith credos kept the two orders perpetually separated.

"Funny you should mention that, I was just remarking to Apprentice Diequr that your delay was due to another meditation break. I'm surprised your Council could find six of you who weren't exhausted from a month long fast out of penance or some such nonsense."

"Are we done?" Ven asked with a plaintive hand.

"Done," Conn nodded with a chuckle. "Let me introduce Ondesa Diequr. We'll make full introductions tonight at dinner, and we should be in the Maze in two days. Come, let me show you to your quarters."

As Ven fell into step beside Gaedus he felt a bloom of emotion erupt from Nair. He turned imperceptibly to see the tall and handsome Ondesa Diequr and knew the reason for her unguarded moment. _Now, this could derail her Trials._

Ven had to admit dinner was a pleasant experience. While he loved his brothers and sisters in the order as much as true siblings felt for one another, he also loved to interact with others outside of it. And not just about discussions on the Force. While the discussion had started there it soon ventured into politics, smashball, and even the latest touring play from the Esselian Thespian Troupe.

In a shocking coincidence Apprentice Diequr had managed to find the seat next to Nair, and the two had spent the dinner chatting at an ever shrinking distance. He had made up his mind to speak to her later about possible ramifications.

Later arrived the next day when the object of her infatuation strode on to the behemoth bridge, his cape fluttering behind him as he walked across the central elevated walk, and took up a position at his master's side in front of the central pane of the bridge's wrap around viewport.

"You know you cannot form a relationship outside the Order right?" he said just loud enough for her species less than stellar hearing to pick up.

She shot him a look of stunned innocence before softening. "I know."

"So why cause yourself the pain of getting close to someone you can never be with?"

"I just find him enjoyable to be around master, I really haven't thought about anything beyond that."

"I know that. But I was eighteen once too…and you're so close to Knighthood, don't risk it for something…juvenile."

"Master please, you wound me." She wasn't playing this time and Ven instantly regretted his decision to bring this up. He should've trusted her until she gave him a reason not to, which she never has. But she excused herself before he could off the rejoinder.

Aneesa let the steam bead across her body as she laid out in the form-fitting hard chair. A personal Asari steam room was one of the perks of getting flagship command. Closing in on her Matriarch stage and having seen enough combat in the defense of Thessia thirty years earlier to last the rest of her long life, Aneesa was happy for the relative safety of these glamour missions.

"Commander V'aka," a formal announcement came from just outside the steam room door.

"Is it done?" she called, not bothering to get up and throw on a robe for this routine.

"It is Commander. The last of the ice has been melted away and we are ready to launch the activation droids. Shall we commence launch?" the initially hesitant voice called over the reactivated steam.

"Commence launch Sub Commander," she said through a partially opened door, which elicited a comforted smile from her subordinate.

Nair had spent the last day finding sections of the ship to wander where he wasn't. Ven was just about to raise his wrist comm to locate her when the _Pellaeon_ 's Executive Officer, Altais Cosmicburn, announced over the ship's PA; "Attention all hands, attention all hands; we will be exiting hyperspace in T-minus two minutes. All hands please return to your stations. All Jedi and Imperial Knights, please report to viewing deck A, as we will exit hyperspace approximately eight minutes from the wormhole."

Six minutes later the six Jedi and six Imperial Knights were seated in a circle on the biggest of the _Pellaeon_ 's twelve observation decks. This time it was only possible to distinguish the Force users by the color of their robes as the Imperial Knights were out of their red armor and in their gray and black tunic and robes. While on a teras kasi mat or in a saber tournament they were relative equals, in matters such as these they were acknowledged novices.

"There it is" said a visibly awed Iktochi Imperial named Gormica Met.

"Alright. Everyone draw in on yourself. When I say to I want you to picture yourself trapped in the _Pellaeon_ 's trash compactor, use the Force to keep the walls from closing in on you. Jedi, open yourselves to me and follow my lead."

His instructions were met by a chorus of affirmations as the circle of Force users withdrew into their own individual trance.

Aneesa had on her dress uniform as she exited the lift onto the bridge. She was feeling relaxed and vibrant and nodded to the gaggle of reporters in the cordoned off section at the back of the bridge.

"Relay is activated Commander," her Chief Pilot called out.

"Proceed, thirty percent FTL," she answered, crossing her hands behind her rear and walking behind her pilot's three seat navigation table like a Matriarch educator walking past her charges during the Thessian competency standards.

"We are approaching the wormhole," the same voice announced with a hint of nervousness.

Ven took one more slow, deep breath. "Now. Begin pushing out slowly until I say hold. If you feel your energy draining let your Master know so they can relieve you of some of your burden. We are entering a new phase in the unity of the Force, may it be with you all."

Their entrance into the Maze is announced and the Knights retire to a meditation room designed for this mission.

Meanwhile the Destiny's Ascendency is thawing the rest of the relay out.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: First Contact**

Electricity shot out of the relay's element zero core and enveloped the _Reign_ in a light show of remarkable energy before propelling the Asari flagship down its long parallel terminus and into the unknown.

Their instrumentation 'spun' for just a moment before it reoriented. "Open the viewport," Aneesa called, her arms across her chest. She had always been more of a "feel" captain, and liked to see the view as often as possible. She knew the more progressive members of her crew would make jokes amongst themselves at dinner; "it…looks…like…space" was one of the more common refrains about her obsession with seeing the starscape, but she thought her species overreliance on technology was becoming a crutch.

"Captain," one of those progressive crew members called from behind her, and she turned to see her standing over the ship's star map.

It took just a quick glance to match the instruments claim with her own feel for the virginal view in front of them. "We've jumped past the Terminus systems," she said, almost to herself.

"Do you know? I mean…this could mean the difference in dealing with the pirate clans," Lieutenant Tela Manenca amended herself midsentence.

Aneesa shot her officer a dubious look as tactics had never been their shortcoming against the Terminus clans. "Captain! Come quick!" the ship's chief detection officer cried and Aneesa moved just short of a trot to her console.

"What is it?" she snapped over her shoulder.

"We have an anomaly just ahead, two point three M-klicks at seventy point two-four."

"Bring it up," Aneesa gestured to her screen and the image of probe data shifted to a magnified view of the space far outside the bridge's open viewport. In the middle of the screen the interstellar medium of space began to warp into a quickly expanding sphere that seemed to alter the viewscape into an unnatural mix of stellar vistas.

"Contact!" the tech yelled again. "It's artificial!" she turned in her seat to face her commander, "and it's massive."

Aneesa scrutinized her panel for a moment but quickly gave up and walked to the semi-circular landing in front of the viewport. As she strained her eyes on the slight ripple in the fabric of spacetime ahead the tech continued her description behind her. "It's definitely a vessel of some sort…but it's like nothing we've ever seen…wormhole is gone, but the contact remains and is moving quickly towards us.

"Battle stations" she called out as instinctively as her leg shot forward when the naval doctor checked her reflexes by tapping her knee. Straining, she caught the outline of something ahead. The small shape began to swell rapidly but its oncoming profile made it impossible to get any grasp of its shape or size…until it turned to starboard. It looked like Nos Astra had been built on top of a knife shaped ship. Even without true scale she knew the _Reign_ would maybe give her stern nacelles a real battle in test of tonnage.

She knew immediately that she had only one choice. "Order stand down."

"Excuse me Captain?" her Executive Officer coughed.

"Order stand down." She turned to look at her stunned bridge crew. "Our only hope of survival rests with their intentions."

"An eight person team of human commandos were killed today when they clashed with the biotic extremists known as the Vanguard. The attack happened on the uninhabited planet of Eletania in the Attican Beta when apparently, and the Systems Alliance disputes this claim, the highly specialized team was ambushed and overwhelmed by, and I'm quoting here; 'just a handful of Vanguard biotics'. The one fact the Alliance will confirm is that there was only one implanted biotic apart of the mission and his name has yet to be rele-."

"-off," Kaiden Shepherd looked up at the ceiling of the Citadel apartment that had become her part-time prison since Patamalrus. A part of her knew why they had to sideline her after the ambush; rules of engagement were what separated them from the Terminus, but she still couldn't accept their decision to keep her out of the fight for the last ten months. The Vanguard had disappeared soon after. Quietly receded into the background while the Asari media and the nature of perception did the damage for them. The "Massacre on Patamalrus" had been a PR boon for the Vanguard, and a nightmare for humanity. Once loyal biotics had either been infuriated enough, or sensed the prevailing winds and made the move of retribution or self-preservation. The Citadel had disavowed Kaiden and Erik and handed full responsibility for the Vanguard to the Systems Alliance. Publically, they still towed the line that the Vanguard was an existential threat to all the citizens of the Citadel and must be stopped, but privately it had become 'don't ask, don't tell".

But Kaiden had to hand it to her mother. She didn't do meek apologies and she didn't suffer fools. She may have lost the rest of the Council, but her weekly impassioned addresses had crippled much of the Vanguards gains in the Hearts and Minds department. It wasn't long after the galaxies races had stopped burning humans in effigy that the attacks started again. This time directed solely at humans and the Alliance. If they didn't cut the head off the snake Citadel space would be further fractured amongst species, ensuring centuries of perpetual warfare…unless they could find a trump card, and quick.

Ven was asked to join Gaedus and Admiral Santeeli on the bridge as they exited the wormhole. Both Force users were drained of energy and sweating profusely from stabilizing the wormhole as they passed through the spacetime shortcut at sub-light speeds, but both would not pass up the chance to be the first organics to see a completely new galaxy. They met the gray haired human male at the central viewport as the bridge bristled with purposed movement and nervous energy.

"What's with the activity?" Gaedus asked as they joined the red and gold uniformed commander.

"We had a vessel waiting for us," the Admiral bit out from the corner of his mouth. "I'm debating a tactical standby."

Ven closed his eyes and sunk into the Force, trying to discern the mood of the beings about three million kilometers away.

With Gaedus's affirmation Admiral Soon Santeeli was about to give the standby order when Ven opened his eyes. "I recommend we stay cold."

Sonteeli stopped short and flashed an eye to the tall Jedi beside him. "Why?"

The Jedi continued to stare out into the distance as he spoke. "Their ship is no real threat to the _Pellaeon._ If they turn out to be hostile we will have plenty of time to respond but let us make every attempt as peaceful explorers."

Normally, Admirals were loathed to amend decisions even if they hadn't voiced them yet. It wasn't always about ego either. Their competence depended on decisive action. Sonteeli had been trained since the academy to make a decision and stick to it. But a Jedi Master's recommendation carried a weight that was hard to quantify in their galaxy. He harrumphed before turning back to the expansive bridge. "Standby, but do not warm up systems."

The bridge crew knew exactly what had happened but they also knew the strange hierarchy of their own civilization and performed the orders as if there was nothing unorthodox about their issuing. Striding across the walkway he looked down to one of the tactical pits and barked, "and get me xeno-linguistics" before sinking into his luxurious captain's chair, no doubt feeling reassured in his authority.

Aneesa sat back in stunned disbelief as the video played across her screen. _Humans? More humans? How?_ For centuries Asari xeno-biologists had put forward a theory of evolutionary uniformity. The idea that given similar environments, sentient beings would evolve along a standard template. _Does that mean these beings come from a post-garden world with a mid-sized yellow star like Earth? Or are they simply some superior race like that planet's Terra Firma Party claims?_ As the human woman on the video slowly and deliberately spoke what appeared to be random words in a foreign tongue all Aneesa V'aka could think about is what this encounter would mean for her people…and her galaxy.

"Usco…Vansu…Vecesas…" the human-looking woman went on in her exaggeratingly deliberate fashion.

With the shock wearing off for all of her senior staff, they were now intent on deciphering the message. While Aneesa, nor any commander she knew had made first contact before, she knew without a doubt the educational looking message was designed to activate a linguistics translator. It wasn't long before the strange sounds began to mean something. "Wu-sa…Wen…dinner…intrusion…to hear."

"Is everyone picking that up?" she asked across the table in the bridge ready room. She received nods from all but one.

"Faulty implant?" she asked Moran.

"I'm..I'm not sure Commander…I've never had to use it."

Aneesa gave a knowing nod. "Sansa?" she depressed a com button to the xenology lab.

"Yes Commander V'aka," the deep blue face of a young Asari filled the viewscreen.

"Is our response ready?"

"It is Commander."

"Very well Lieutenant. Send it."

It had taken the 5PO droids mere seconds to break down the syntax and meaning of the beautiful language emanating from the equally beautiful alien in the video message sent ten minutes earlier. But as the ship's commander appeared on flat screen live, all Ven could think about was the alien's resemblance to his own Padawan.

"Greetings Commander," Admiral Santeeli began. While Ven and Gaedus had been given diplomatic authority on this mission, they decided it would be best if the alien naval officer heard from her counterpart to start.

"I am Admiral Soon Sonteeli. We come from this galaxy," he said slowly, holding up a small holograph of the visible universe with their galaxy highlighted in red.

"We would like to propose a meeting so that we may begin to better unders-"

"Why have you come here?" the alien said abruptly.

Sonteeli looked flustered for a moment but continued seamlessly. "To see if we could. We are here as explorers only. If you tell us to go we would ask permission to explore an uninhabited sector but in the end we are but guests, it is your decision."

The Admiral had a career in diplomacy if he ever tired of command. The alien must've come to the same conclusion as her expression softened and her shoulders lowered just a bit. "In that case I propose a face to face meeting…aboard our vessel."

The Admiral had no need to look to his diplomats as they had covered this contingency before sending their language vid. "That would please us greatly."

"Very good. We will send two escort ships to guide your unarmed vessel to our docking bay."

"I will be bringing my diplomats along with your permission."

The blue skinned female looked pleased with Santeeli's show of deference. "Permission granted," she cut the feed and the screen faded to black.

It took everything Aneesa had in her repertoire of command skills to stand completely still as the red and white shuttle folded its wings and made a ninety degree turn before firing its thrusters and setting down. Even she had been surprised with how well she had handled the initial conversation with their ship captain, _or was the commander of that thing called a governor?_ But if she found it hard not to fidget as the ship landed. It became nearly impossible not to fall backwards as the first aliens stepped out of the ship's black recess and stood at the top of the ramp. The first was wearing a dark brown cloak over a brown leather vestment of some kind with a beige tunic and pants. He had dark hair tied into a simple pony tail and a short, if scruffy beard. In all, he was incredibly handsome. _The diplomat,_ she thought to herself. _And the warrior._ Behind the handsome politician stepped a red armored soldier with a black cape. This one appeared a little older than the negotiator as his hair and full beard were both dark gray. Behind each stepped a younger version of each. A younger human in the same red armor and a…blue skinned alien in a brown cloak that looked remarkably like a younger version of herself except that her crest bore only two tentacles that fell much further than an Asari's. Behind them both came a silver plated robot that moved stiffly down the ramp while appearing to comment to itself on the cramped nature of the _Reign's_ hangar bay.

It wasn't until the handsome diplomat approached her and reached out his arm that she realized he stood a head taller than most humans she had seen. It wasn't until the warrior repeated the same gesture that she realized they were all about a head taller than anyone of her retinue. It was at that moment that she knew her name would forever be remembered. Remembered as what was another matter altogether.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Councilor Williams had known the Asari Councilor Tevos at least formally for thirty years, Ever since she was brought back from Eden Prime as the prime witness to the Geth destruction of her garrison. She had always known the Asari Matriarch to be levelheaded, often annoyingly so. So when she got the screen before sunrise demanding her presence at an emergency session, she knew the gravity of the situation simply from the urgent tone of her voice.

She arrived last in the chambers to find her three colleagues huddled around in an animated discussion. This was nothing new. Despite humanity's unanimous approval to the Council, and her own overwhelming personal support, the other Councilors had continued to treat her and her species as uninvited party guests. The shoulder had only gotten colder in recent years. She knew they didn't want her here, and they knew she knew. But Ashley Williams would never give them the satisfaction of knowing their condescension and disapproval had any effect on her whatsoever. That said, Tevos had always been her lone supporter, even if her support was often conditional. She was also the only one who turned to welcome her fully as the Turian and Salarian Councilors continued their energetic discussion.

"Ashley," she said warmly, taking both her hands in her own. "Come, we have much to discuss."

"As you know the _Destiny's Reign_ has been on rotation with the sovereign Asari government. A week ago a survey team out of Ilium found a previously unknown mass relay buried beneath a chunk of ice in the Attican Beta."

"And they're just now informing us?" Ashley interrupted from across the private conference table.

Tevos regathered her thoughts and smiled politely from across the table. "On the record they wanted to be sure it was what they expected. Off the record, Thessia has always chafed at our authority and undoubtedly wanted to try to establish a claim."

"And they used our flagship to do it," Ashley stated with a look of incredulity.

"Trust me when I say that jurisdiction is the least of our worries," the Turian Councilor Sparatus croaked.

"While I agree in principle Ashley, Sparatus is right." Tevos continued with a nod of affirmation to the alien whose face looked like it was chiseled from stone.

"It was as they expected. And they did use the _Reign_ to test its working order-both of which we will address much later-the relay appears to connect with the other side of the Terminus." Again she held up a hand begging Ashley to let her finish. "Once trough they detected an anomaly that turned out to be a stable wormhole. Inside the wormhole they detected another anomaly…this one was inorganic." She paused to let that sink in.

"Terminus pirates?" Ashley asked.

"Hardly" Sparatus muttered as if she should've have pieced it together by now.

"They appear to be from outside this galaxy" Tevos voiced what wasn't obvious to Ash yet.

"And they were in a ship nearly as large as the Citadel itself," Sparatus said gruffly.

"Aliens?" Ash breathed with growing astonishment.

"I imagine that would depend on your point of view," the Council's Salarian, Valern, added ominously.

Ashley still looked to the Asari for clarification who through a look at the others that said what she thought of their coyness. "At least on the surface it appears the leaders of these beings are…human."

"What? What do you mean? Are you trying to say they're Alliance?"

"Definitely not from Earth," Sparatus added and Ashley couldn't tell if he was worried or enjoying the social island this could put humans on in Citadel space.

"They claim to be from the galaxy here," she said as a hologram of their universal supercluster sprung from the middle of the table. "We have called it Arbolus. Your scientists called it Gigantus, which essentially means the same thing. It is the result of a collision between two giant ellipticals some six billion years ago."

"My God," Ashley breathed.

"It gets worse," Valern whispered.

"These beings preside over an empire that spans millions of systems. And according to the _Reign's_ Commander, Aneesa V'aka, it is not bluster."

"An empire? Are you saying they're here to conquer us?" Ashley blurted out, thoughts of a new war and new destruction filling her mind's eye.

"They say they are not. They claim their empire expands through voluntary means," Tevos said, using her most reassuring voice.

"So they say," Sparatus said with a low menace.

"They say this was an experimental voyage to see if they could stabilize a wormhole for passage. They would like to meet with us and potentially lay the groundwork for a future of trade. Judging by the holograms Commander V'aka was able to transmit back, it is trade that could benefit us greatly."

"Don't be so damn naïve!" Sparatus stood and crashed his fists down on the table.

"Sit down Councilor!" Tevos thundered right back. "You will not behave as though you are chairing a clan meeting on Palaven."

"And you will not lead us to ruin again! You believe these new humans built the civilization they did through trade!? How have you made it to nine hundred years?" the Turian laughed cruelly.

"It is your Krogan lust for war that will lead us to ruin. If these people's claims are accurate they could take us anytime they want. Our only hope is communication."

Sparatus started to respond but Ashley stood and slammed an open palm down on the table. "enough!"

Human or not, accepted or not, Ashley Williams still had the nature of a warrior and both aliens stopped and turned to her.

"Thank you. Now, did these 'humans' say they would leave if we didn't want to meet?"

Tevos looked mildly embarrassed. "Commander V'aka was clear on that point. They will go home if asked unconditionally, but will implore that they are allowed to explore the area beyond the Terminus for a couple weeks."

"Unconditional? Implore? They don't sound like conquerors to me Sparatus."

"You're right. They sound like very cagey conquerors considering they already have half our leadership believing them mere pacifists."

"Why be cagey when you're in a ship the size of the Citadel?" Ash prodded again.

Finally, the Turian was without a comeback. There was an awkward silence as Sparatus found his seat again.

"By the way, did they say how they stabilized the wormhole? Our scientists had deemed that theoretically impossible."

"I thought you'd never ask," Valern said with what passed for a Salarian smirk.

Tevos cupped her face in her hands for just a moment, but long enough to be noticeable for someone who never showed a momentary loss of calm. "Apparently, a portion of these visitors can control mass effect fields on a level not even theorized by our experts in biotics."

"Oh this just gets better," Ashley said aloud involuntarily. She looked up to see Sparatus giving the Turian equivalent of a self-satisfied smirk. She had given him his comeback.

Ashley spoke before he could open his bony face. "I recommend we hold off on a vote for course of action until tomorrow morning."

"Agreed," Tevos said quickly.

"I agree," Valern added after a moment.

"I disagree..and want it noted," Sparatus said, standing again.

"And so it will be," Ashley answered, continuing her temporary role as meeting chair. "Let's reconvene after breakfast."

Ashley stood and gathered her datapad with information on the meeting. She knew exactly who she had to talk to first.

"I can't believe it," Kaiden couldn't think of anything else to say since her mother had laid out everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours.

"Yes it's been a pretty unbelievable day," Ashley agreed with a sigh of mock exhaustion. It was mocked because they both knew Ash lived for this. And they both knew Kaiden was born for moments like these.

"Have you told dad?"

"Not yet," she said with a shake, glancing over her shoulder just to be sure SPECTRE's head trainer hadn't come home unannounced.

"I have a feeling I know what his advice will be anyway," she added.

"So what are you gonna do?" Kaiden asked.

"I want to talk to them, if only to get more information. If they wanted to take us over then why the charade? Apparently Commande V'aka has already told them the _Reign_ is our flagship, and that we're still recovering from a war."

"Is there anything she didn't tell them?" she asked with a laugh, but the underlying frustration at such a senior officer's loose lips was still there.

"Apparently, they can be quite disarming," her mother said with a wink.

Kaiden shook her head at the unsaid, politically incorrect, Asari libido joke. "Alright, well, talk to them then. What do you need my opinion for?"

"I don't need your opinion Kaiden, I want it. Besides, I think the decision will be up to the member governments. If we have a majority decision it's going to be to tell them to fuck off."

"You don't think Tevos will support talks too?"

"I think she's as curious as I am…But she always sees the larger ramifications; a human diaspora, powerful biotics at, or near, the head of a galaxy spanning empire. This the Vanguard's 'I told you so' moment. My only hope is to push for confidential talks." She ignored another screen coming up on her datapad with a swipe

Kaiden shook her head ruefully. "They're going to find out eventually. Better to be because of you instead of in spite of you...they'll hate you less"

"Thanks, but I don't have the luxury of idealism Kaiden. I think I will join the others, but with the stipulation that they give us a couple of years to get our feet back under us…and take care of these damn terrorists before we meet again."

Kaiden didn't speak for a long moment and her mother took the hint. "Alright sweetheart, well thanks for being a sounding board, I'll screen you tomorrow and let-"

"-wait a minute mother… What if we can use them to defeat this insurgency?" She asked standing up off the bed.

Ashley withdrew her hand from the disconnect sharply. "Elaborate."

Kaiden began pacing. "We tell them exactly what the Vanguard is, what they are doing, and that flat out, we need their help. They train the small biotic force we have and help us fight the Vanguard. It will give us a force to match their own and discredit their ideology at the same time. Human and alien biotics fighting together, not each other".

Ashley was clearly considering it. "I fear their presence could do us more harm than good?"

"You forget mother, the Alliance didn't make contact, the Asari did. They're presence is already getting out, you can't keep a lid on Thessia and neither can Tevos".

"When your right…," she said without hesitation.

"What did V'aka say about their biotics?"

"Firstly, there are two different groups. The older, more diplomatic one appears to be more of a religious order than a martial force. They call themselves the Jedi Order. The other is more like our own SPECTREs. They call themselves Imperial Knights and they answer directly to an empress who is also a biotic. Which leads me to the next piece of info I have; they call mass effect fields the Force, they see it more as a divine power than an evolutionary or scientific anomaly," she said, looking at her datapad.

"Great, so more zealots?"

"Not according to V'aka" she flipped through pages on her device. "They were humble, deferential, wouldn't demonstrate their powers even when asked to…does that sound like the Vanguard?"

She shook her head slowly at first, and then quicker, "no, no it doesn't at all."

Her eyes darted back to the screen, "I need you out there."

"Me? I'm on PR" Kaiden said with a hand over her chest, but under that hand she could feel her heart starting to hammer with anticipation.

"Provisional Restriction is for combat missions. This is diplomatic. And if it goes like you think, I'm getting that lifted too," she said, now standing herself, datapad tucked under her arm.

Kaiden grabbed a go bag out of the closet. "I'm on the next flight out of Tayseri."

"Scratch that. Grab your _real_ gear. You're going officially. Be at the Presidium by eight."

"Way I feel now mom, I'll be there at five."

Ashley flashed her a knowing smile before the screen cut to black.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Kaiden had made a point of waiting at the Embassies Bar. With a large statue of her father standing like a sentinel over the entrance to the Citadel Tower, she liked to avoid the attention that came with being seen anywhere near it. Plus, if she was being honest, she didn't need reminders of a father the whole galaxy seemed to know better than she did.

Finally, after three cups of the best coffee on the Citadel, her mother entered the bar to the stares and whispers that accompanied her lofty position and legacy. She stood at the bar next to Kaiden and waved to the Salarian bartender who set down a latte moments later.

"You ready?" she asked after taking a satisfied sip.

"You got 'em?"

Ashley shot her a playfully wounded look. "Sparatus?"

She acted as though she almost spit out her most recent sip at that question. "Goodness no. He still wants to nuke them back through the wormhole…but Tevos and Valern were, dare I say, enthusiastically indifferent, but supportive none the less."

Kaiden shrugged over her cup as her mom continued. "So, Tevos and I will accompany you. We will offer a diplomatic summit in exchange for their help with the Vanguard-to be held _here-"_ She emphasized with a pointed finger into the bar, "That's it. No other promises can be made."

"Mother…you know we need these people. We still have infrastructure problems on nearly every planet the Reapers bombarded. Plus, our obligations to the Quarians. Throw in the trouble with the Vanguard and the Terminus; an alliance could end these petty conflicts and let us finally focus on the rebuild-"

"-yes, but they are our petty conflicts. I am not willing to sacrifice that sovereignty for advancement or peace at any cost…and I'm surprised to hear you so willing." She continued before Kaiden could utter another word, "Besides, the people are scared of outsiders almost as much as they are scared of us right now and frankly I don't have the ability or the desire to dissuade them of that opinion. Now, are you ready?"

With their flagship already there, they had considered riding out on the SSV _Cannae,_ the largest class of Alliance heavy cruiser, but still half the size of the _Reign._ In the end there was simply no impressing these visitors and they chose to take the Councilor's personal diplomatic shuttle.

By the time they arrived three days later their relationship was better for it. Maybe better than it had been since she entered SPECTRE training. Even Tevos had been affable and unguarded over their nightly chess matches, one of the few human cultural inventions that didn't pale in comparison to an Asari doodle in her often voiced opinion.

"So then Tali yelled 'Get down!' And everyone who wasn't already laughing had to drop to a knee…and there was literally Geth around the corner...well not literally…that's a bit much," Ash stopped to laugh herself, and then twirled the wine in her glass looking rather wistful. "Your father might've been laughing the hardest," she pointed at Kaiden who was still laughing as Tevos stared at both of them, clearly bewildered.

"So the Krogan expelled gas?" she finally asked.

"Well I'd probably call it something else, but yeah...I thought his armor was going to fall off." Whether it was just politeness, Tevos started to chuckle.

"Well, I have no story to match that one, so I'll leave you two for the night. Our pilot says we should reach the new relay by oh-six hundred," the Asari Matriarch said as she stood up and placed her napkin in the seat.

She left and the two humans continued to giggle as the door closed behind her. "I'm glad to know you guys had some moments that weren't all horror and bloodshed."

"Oh tons of them. Your father knew he had to keep the team loose or else we'd crack. He knew the difference between rousting Terminus pirates and what we were doing. The fate of the galaxy was riding on us, and if you stopped to think about the enormity of it all it could get hard to put one foot in front of the other."

"You guys did so much..."

"Where's this coming from?" Ashley asked, sensing her need to unload something and helping her past her usual reticence.

"I don't know…I guess I've just been thinking about our relationship and how I've approached it-"

"-Stop," she reached out a hand and took Kaiden's, which was still twirling the air, helping her think of what to say. "Since you were a child I have excused my absences as the cost of war and recovery. I told myself, and you numerous times, that what I was doing was bigger than just our family. The truth is…I was very much in love with your father. I was in love with him from the moment I saw him charging down that hill on Eden Prime to save my life. But I was also in awe of him, like everyone else. I thought he was invincible, that he couldn't die. So when he did I was crushed…but also in a bit of denial. I felt like I shared him with the entire galaxy and all I had left of him was this baby that had his eyes. And in a way, I think only years of counseling could tell me, I resented you. I resented the fact that he died and you lived. I know how that sounds. Trust me I never wanted to feel that way-" she squeezed her hand and Kaiden squeezed back. She didn't realize she was crying until a tear crawled across a sensitive part of her cheek.

"Mom, stop torturing yourself. I've been an ass…and it took this past year of having my career threatened to realize it. You were a great mother, when you were there. James was a great dad, when he was there. But you couldn't always be there, and it was selfish of me to expect you to be. And even if you felt that way, I never felt anything but love from you. Everything I said was an excuse, was the truth. You fought back Armageddon. You have shaped life in this galaxy. You have guided us to where we are today. And tomorrow I believe you will help lead us into a new golden age. You are not ordinary. You are extraordinary. And I wouldn't change anything about how you raised me." They embraced for what seemed like an eternity, and Kaiden still felt it wasn't long enough.

Morning came in a blink and Kaiden was in her dress blues and on the bridge an hour before they reached the newly discovered mass relay. Her mother and Tevos joined her half an hour later. They gave each other a reassuring nod as the relay's element zero reached out and took hold of their sleek shuttle, but nothing could prepare them for what they saw on the other side.

Days had passed shuttling between the _Pellaeon and_ the _Destiny's Reign_ as the Asari grew more comfortable with the "aliens". While the Jedi were encouraged by every breakthrough and fascinated by every unique discovery, Gaedus and the Imperial Knights, as well as Sonteeli and the naval crew, were frustrated by the Asari's continued distrust and the length of time travel seemed to take for these beings. However, that was all due to change today as two of this government's four leaders were due to arrive by way of the incredibly fascinating portal Commander V'aka had called a Mass Relay. Ven had on his best dark brown double vest, with a light brown tunic. Unlike Jedi Master Salm and some of the more conservative Jedi, Ven eschewed a high necked undershirt that covered the top of the chest and neck.

As a show of good faith the Councilors would meet aboard the _Pellaeon_ today and all the Force users, with Admiral Sonteeli in his dress uniform, were currently waiting for the diplomatic yacht in the topside hangar bay. He glanced briefly at his Padawan who was barely containing a toothy smile. She had quickly become enamored with the Asari, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. She may have been brought to Tython as an infant, but Ven had taken her to Kalikori as young girl to trade some crafts for some of their cu'pas. Their village sat high in the Mataki Mountains and had been raising the versatile livestock for almost five millennia. The village was founded by an outlawed sect of Twi'leks who felt that females should be revered rather than subjugated. The clan was led by a matriarch that was part spiritual prophet and part community leader. Nair's time in Kalikori piqued her interest in the culture of her birth and over time she had become secretly political concerning Ryloth's patriarchy and their slave culture. To meet a species that looked so similar, and who had taken matriarchy to an evolutionary level, was something of an affirmation for the young Jedi.

The _Reign's_ shuttle appeared above their heads and crossed the magnetic barrier before landing in front of the welcoming party. That could only mean the new visitors were right behind them

Commander Aneesa V'aka debarked with her executive officer. They both wore a form fitting black uniform that appeared to be made from some sort of armored leather. Aneesa had grown friendlier since their initial meeting, and today she even flashed Ven a wide smile as she approached to take up a spot just beside them.

The _Pellaeon_ was like nothing Kaiden had ever even seen before, even sketched on theoretical programs. It reminded her of an old arrowhead used by the indigenous people of the Americas on Earth. _An arrowhead with Shanghai on top_ she thought.

"It's so much worse than I imagined," Tevos said quietly beside her.

"You know, there isn't just human looking aliens over there," Kaiden said with more menace then she intended. But she was tired of the Citadel races insecurity towards her people.

"If we meet someone who looks identical to me I'll revise my opinion," she answered flatly.

"I don't understand the threat this poses," she turned to the Asari Councilor and whispered, trying to keep her mother out of it. She didn't need these two showing a divided front.

"You wouldn't. Your species has no context. You have no idea how long it took even the Turians to be accepted as equals. You cannot know how long the Elcor, or the Hanar, or the Volus have been members of the Citadel without making a measure of the impact your race has-and before you commend yourselves-" she unlocked her hands from behind and showed Kaiden a finger, "-to many, that appears to be a product of your ambition rather than your superiority."

"We don't believe we're superior…but I won't apologize for humanity wanting a seat at the table," she snapped, looking back out the small viewport.

"Yes, well, many feel you cut the line for that seat-you asked me why this presents a problem and I am telling you," she said quickly as Kaiden turned back to her. "I do not want to get into a political debate. Beside we don't have the time," she said indicating the rapidly growing behemoth of a ship before them.

It was a testament to the ship's size that they could even land the converted Alamo-class crusier in its hangar bay. Kaiden was the first off, walking ahead of her mother and Tevos. She had worked hard on showing an expression that was both welcoming, but most of all, confident. But when she saw the line of humans and aliens standing at the bottom of the ramp she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. _They do look exactly like us, just a little bigger._

She gave a curt nod as Commander V'aka and her second moved to stand beside her as they waited for the Councilors. Her mother, dressed in a form fitting expensive dress stepped foot on the bay floor and strode confidently up to the red and gold uniformed human.

"Admiral Sonteeli, I am Citadel Councilor Ashley Williams, this is my fellow Councilor Tevos Ormisa," she gestured Kaiden to step forward, "and this my daughter and a member of our elite commando force. She is also what we call a biotic, which we know you call a gee-die."

Kaiden couldn't help but notice the smaller blue skinned alien who had been half smiling since she saw her, now showed a pair of fang like incisors as she developed a quiet snicker at her mother's obvious butchery of the word. Her smile drew a sharp look from the tall, handsome human next to her and she immediately adopted a mask of neutrality. Each of the brown robed biotics seemed to have a younger partner, or maybe they were personal students, next to them. One of the other brown robed "Jedi" was a human female with auburn hair tied into a single braid at the back. Next to her was a smaller reptilian looking alien that maybe looked a bit like a Krogan but with a tail…and apart from being a reptile looked nothing like a Krogan. She was grasping for a connection that wouldn't make her people the sole target for paranoid aliens back home. The other 'older' biotic was himself a non-human, pale to mottled red skin, he had head tails like the light-hearted blue skinned girl, but his were different, they almost looked like horns hanging loosely off a fleshy protrusion. His 'student' was as big as him and looked like nothing they had found in this galaxy; furred, with tusks that protruded from its bottom jaw, he still had the fashion sense to wear some of his white fur in a ponytail. It had another tuft of fur tied into a braid, but not like the red head's, this was much thinner and hung down off one side. In fact, all of the younger one's has some tassel hanging down behind their head.

Finally she was being approached by the ship captain who held out his hand for her. She took it firmly and he squeezed back before reaching up to grab the underside of her forearm. She realized quickly he was exchanging greetings and she gripped the underside of his arm in kind. The biotics kept their hands tucked in their loose robe sleeves and gave her a solemn bow before just taking her hand in theirs without replicating the admiral's gesture.

That first morning was a whirlwind of information as she soaked up everything she could about these biotics. The Jedi served the mass effect fields that permeated the galaxy as some kind of sentient 'creator'. Their difference in size wasn't a result of evolution or mutations, but rather the gravity of their homeworld, Coruscant, which was a little more than three-quarters of Earth's. It initially seemed they had the same average lifespan as Earth humans until finding out that their solar year was sixty percent longer than Earth's. They were also contrarians. In some areas they had technology that Citadel scientists wouldn't begin to unravel for centuries, but in other areas it seemed they went out of their way to make things harder on themselves. The silver plated droid for instance that interpreted everything the Councilors said, added minutes to every conversation. Surely they had implant technology to make universal translation far easier? But most importantly, they were either earnest in their desire for peaceful co-existence, or they had perfected the art of disarming potential subjects. They were patient, humble despite their visitor's sometimes obvious awe, and complimentary of everything the Councilors told them about Citadel space.

They walked the entire span of the miles long ship. By the time they reached their ship's engine, where the tech's gave a rudimentary explanation of its ability to warp "subspace", or darkspace, to create shortcuts in "realspace", Kaiden could tell Tevos was tiring. At eight hundred and ninety three years it wasn't surprising. The tall dark haired Jedi seemed to sense this as well and cut the tour short.

It was over a dinner of nerf steak and something called a mort egg, that seemed to pain the young Twee-lek Jedi when asked about its preparation, that Kaiden broke her long intentional silence.

"So if this 'Force' lives in all beings wouldn't it be against the nature of this creator to eat something like this," Kaiden asked, eager to bring this meeting to more equal footing by pointing out some flaws in their grand design.

The one who did most of the talking, did the talking again. Kaiden liked the pretty Twi'lek but she was interested in getting the older Jedi to talk.

"The Force is life. Death is a part of life. Our life is devoted to making life for others, and even our death makes room for more beings to experience life. The nerf's death provides nourishment to others. As long as they are granted a long, and comfortable existence, then their death is something to be celebrated, not wasted. To that end, the government Admiral Sonteeli and the Knights represent have enacted laws against the abuse of food animals. All of our meat is provided by concerns with no more than a set amount of animals that can be cared for comfortable. For nerfs I believe it's two hundred for your average sized operation." The girl was so eager to talk about her galaxy that Kaiden got the sense she could've gone on if her teacher didn't cut in.

"Speaking of the Force. I have to say how remarkable it is for an entire race to be chosen as its vessels," he said to Tevos in particular, but also glanced at the other two Asari at the table. "We have a similar species, who aren't represented here, but they have a similar lifespan and a strong predilection to Force sensitivity. But even they probably only have half of their population that can manipulate these fields as you call them…and they only have a population of a few thousand." This Jedi, Ven, like the other Jedi, was very stoic. There was no gesticulating, no shifting in his seats. He appeared perfectly content with whatever happened.

Tevos answered while cutting her steak. "Yes, well the Asari always approached what you look at spiritually as scientific and after the first instances of natural biotic ability emerged our scientists worked to replicate the ability. They scanned and analyzed the brain of these first natural biotics and found a way to artificially stimulate the regions of the brain that controlled the ability to manipulate ME fields. Once that discovery was made it was just the matter of very simply infantile implantation."

Kaiden could almost see the Jedi recoiling as Tevos explained the Asari invention of biotic implants. Beside them, the red armored knights perked up for the first time all night.

"So all of your biotic power comes from these implants?" the red head Jedi named Rand Jonibe asked, Kaiden thought she had to work to remove any note of judgment from her voice.

"Not all. Those who have a natural predilection to biotic ability simply have their abilities amplified. In Asari culture some of the most powerful these beings join an order of protectors called the Justicars, who are very much like your own order from what I can gather. It would be great if we could arrange a meeting. I'm sure you could learn a great deal from each other." Tevos looked up this time from her meal with a polite smile. She was clearly more comfortable to be sitting and eating then she was on the tour.

"I'm sure we would," Rand Jonibe answered quietly as the furred Jedi student visibly swallowed a reply.

An awkward silence ensued for a moment until the male human Jedi across from Kaiden, Ven, spoke up. "I wonder if your Justicars are aware of the dark side of this biotic force? Have you seen any examples of people having their personalities warped by biotic use, or using this power for their own gain?"

Kaiden had her opening. "I have."

At once every Jedi and Imperial Knight at the table looked directly at her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"And the Council calls me headstrong". Rand shook her head with some feigned indignation but Ven knew there was genuine resentment in her comment as well. Do you truly believe you should stay, or do you simply not care?" Yiorndo Salm asked with a condemning look that made Ven's face a little hot.

"The Force is my guide. If the Council demands my return I will do so at once. But until that time I feel compelled to investigate this Vanguard." Ven answered in a deliberately measured tone.

"You're aware that you could cause an intergalactic incident?" Rand offered in a lighter tone but Salm was not having it. "This is a delicate matter Ven, you need to leave it to the diplomats. And to bring your Padawan with you is unfair to her."

"What have I done to make you distrust me so Master Salm?"

"You play to the line Ven. You claim guidance from the Force and that may be, but there are times I wonder if it's not your own nature that bids you to that line in an effort to see how close you can walk to its edge".

Ven considered pressing his case that walking in the light was exactly what he was doing, but it would make no headway with Salm. He came from the disciplinarian school that taught the precepts of the Order and guidance from the Council was the only way to ensure a Jedi's commitment to the Light. He believed Ven an individualist at best and an egotist at worst, and nothing he said now would sway him from that opinion. Besides he had turned his back immediately and made for the shuttle.

Only Rand lingered a moment longer before placing a consoling hand on his arm. "You are an honorable man Ven. And when you walk in the light you're the best among us. Stay in its gaze."

"I will do as you say. May the Force be with you Rand," he bowed his head while offering her his most reassuring smile.

She loosened despite herself and returned the gesture. "And with you Ven, I will advocate on your behalf before the Council and await our next meeting."

Kaiden had been surprised to hear the human male Jedi ask to stay when she had finished showing them highlights of their attacks. She had been more bemused when his request led to what could only be described as the politest argument ever between the Jedi and his comrades.

The same back and forth appeared to be continuing before Master Sala turned and walked up the ramp to their waiting yacht. Between their light touch and the female Jedi's lingering glare Kaiden wondered briefly if the two were a couple. His student, or Padawan, was already on board and staring after her master like a daughter worried her father had gotten himself in more trouble than he could handle. Kaiden felt a twinge of guilt at helping to create this tension, but only just. They badly needed a shift in momentum. For their part the Imperial Knights had expressed their willingness to stay but did not have the necessary order from their Empress. The younger one looked on from behind Rand Jonibe with a look of jealousy and regret, but Kaiden theorized that had as much to do with the blue skinned Twi'lek next to her as it did their mission.

"Everything okay Master?" Nair asked as Ven got within a quiet word.

"Of course young one," he said, placing a hand on her back. "Are we ready Commander?" he asked Kaiden.

"You say the word Master Sala".

"Then let us be on our way," he said as all three walked ahead of the ascending ramp.

"On to the Citadel."

Kaiden was more than happy to see that the awesome nature of their capital could strike a look of wonder into the eyes of guests who had been doing the lions share of impressing so far.

"Amazing. And you say a race of sentient machines built this?" Nair asked, looking out the starboard viewport.

"No, that is what we originally thought, but it turns out it was constructed by an extinct race called the Protheans. About fifty thousand years ago they had most of this galaxy under their control."

"It truly is a wonder," the older Jedi breathed and Kaiden saw her mother smirk beside him.

"Yes, we're still unsure of the alloy they used, but the relays we traveled through were built from the same material."

They had made an intentional decision to dock in the Wards instead of the Presidium to give their guests an impromptu tour, but the looks of amazement soon dried up. They were nothing but polite, even asking questions Kaiden could tell they had only a perfunctory interest in knowing the answer to. At one point Master Sala remarked that it reminded him of the 'undercity back home', but Kaiden couldn't tell if that was a compliment. It dawned on her just how many times they had probably been introduced to new worlds, undiscovered aliens, reclusive cultures.

"This goes far beyond the parameters of the vote," Sparatus thundered.

"We made an executive decision. We need to assess all new options-"

"-I did not sacrifice so much against the Reapers, to watch this body be torn apart by an insurgency. We are losing this war Sparatus, in more ways than one, and your stubbornness will ensure it ends in defeat. I am sorry these aliens didn't evolve on a world with lethal solar radiation. I am sorry they look like the beings you fear are supplanting your grip on power, but your xenophobia will not be what drags us down, not while I still draw breath. Now if you want to call a vote on such a mundane matter as appointing this being an advisor in our fight against the Vanguard, then you call it. Otherwise I will not sit for another of your self-serving rebukes!" Ashley realized her arms were quivering at the elbow and she removed her hands from the table before turning around and heading for the door.

"Y-you can't speak to me like this!? She can't speak to me lik-" was the last thing she heard as the soundproof door shut behind her.

Kaiden felt a brief rush of embarrassment at the level of fawning the students at Grissom Academy directed at their Jedi visitors. But in the end, she couldn't blame them. After introductions and a brief explanation of the past week, Kaiden joined the two Jedi and the facilities unique director, Jack, on the training floor's viewing balcony.

Below, the oldest students of the Citadel's biotic academy were below exhibiting their abilities for the new guest instructors.

"Before I can do anything with these younglings will have to remove these implants," Ven said without looking over at the two human females to his left, his hands gripping the railing.

"Good luck" the heavily tattooed woman said as she flashed an eye at Kaiden. "I've been trying to end that program since I got here".

"We'll see what we can do. But all our science is telling us these implants amplify their ability…it will be hard for us to change our view of biotics that quickly".

"You misunderstand me. It is not my intention to change how you perceive this ability. Whether scientific or spiritual you must see this as part of your evolutionary processes, and the implants are only inhibiting its expansion".

Ven saw that Kaiden wasn't grasping the concept. Jack, on the other hand, seemed to be treating it as confirmation rather than revelation. He pointed in the general direction of the four lare training mats below. "All the students show the same relative level of aptitude correct?"

"I'm not sure what you mean?" Jack asked again past Kaiden who had already begun chewing her lower lip in consternation.

"They can move objects from around the same distance? Their throws move objects of the same weight about the same velocity?"

She thought for a moment. "Yes…in general."

"That's because the implant is synthetically activating their ability, making it much easier for them to begin manipulating objects, but it also limits their growth in the Force."

"How?" Kaiden asked.

"Artificial devices interfere with the flow of the Force. Even a prosthetic arm can stunt one's abilities. Deviations of the mind only compress our potential."

The older woman nodded enthusiastically as Kaiden shook her head and leaned into the rail. He seemed he had a willing Jedi if that ever became his purpose here.

"Secondly, the practice of singularities must end. We call them Force storms and they are of the Dark Side," Ven said more seriously as his Padawan's head tails curled around her neck at the mention of this darkness.

"To tear holes in the fabric of space is destructive enough, to do it with the intention of malice is anathema to the Light."

Finally Kaiden stood back up all the way. "Singularities are our most powerful biotic weapon."

Ven felt comfortable enough with his new ally to place a warning hand on her shoulder. "What I offer is not the easy path. I hold no secret that will bring about a speedy resolution to your conflict. But what I do offer is a better understanding of your power and its connection to the universe. You are taking your first steps on the path to a more peaceful existence. One that may not even come in your lifetime. I hope that is enough."

"Why don't your biotics use projectile weapons?" a dark skinned student in her early 20's asked from her seated position on the exercise floor. Many of the older students were still uncomfortable calling it the Force, and that was fine by Ven. He wasn't here to create a second Jedi Order. This question gave him a chance to express that.

Ven tapped the hilt of durasteel and Tythonian Oak lightsaber absent-mindedly as he thought of the best way to answer. "Many millennia ago the leaders of our order realized that taking a life was becoming far too easy. Wooden clubs became durasteel, slug throwers became light blasters, Starfighters, antimatter bombs, the list just kept growing. We felt the easier it became to take a life, the easier it became to make the decision to do so. We use our lightsaber both as an expression of tradition and a deterrent against resorting to deadly violence. In short, if you have to snuff out a being, you should have to look them in the eye and feel it as you do."

The students, for their part seemed to be giving real weight to his words and he couldn't have been more pleased with their attention over the past three days. "I would never suggest your academy adopt our traditions. It is for you to grow and evolve in the Force under your own directives. I am only here to show you there exists a light and a dark in this energy field, and how best to follow the Light."

About to break for the day one of the younger students not with Nair on the observation desk raised his hand with a precocious smile. "Yes Mohinder?" he answered, proud he had gotten a handle on some of this galaxies more unusual names.

"Can we see it?" he pointed at the hilt resting under Ven's hand.

He looked down at it quickly and raised his hand with a smile equal to the younglings. "I promise to show you when it is time."

He didn't let his disappointment show…too much. Suddenly another student stepped out of the darkness at the back of the room. He was a Turian, one of the elders, and also one of the more enthusiastic of Ven's students over the past three days.

"Ah, Oppitana Natanis, and what is your excuse for missing the day's lesson?"

Ven's smile faded as he felt a ripple in the Force as he noticed the steely look and that seemed to grip the boy's plated face. That tingle started burning hot as he noticed the hand behind the student's back. Ven's fingers, which still rested lightly on the top of his lightsaber hilt, gripped firm as he brought it up and activated it at the same time.

"Fear the Vanguard human!" he bit out each word with a quiet fury as he leveled one of their hand cannons and began firing at the same time Ven activated his blade.

Ven let the Force take over. He had no idea if he could deflect these synthetic Force enveloped rounds, but his blue blade flashed before him as the gun cracked to life. One shot he felt woosh off the blade, then another. The other students were rolling away, but some were beginning to gather their own biotic fields as Ven reached out his left hand and sent the boy careening into the rafters above, before falling back to the exercise mats a moment after his hand cannon.

Ven instinctively looked over the students around him, as they looked back at him with the same concern. Oppotana was out cold but Ven's Force sense had not abated.

"Master!" he thought he heard from behind him before quickly realizing it was his comlink. They hadn't used it since arriving and it startled him as he pulled it off his belt.

"Nair! Are you alright?" he was already Force sprinting to the adjoining hallway.

He got to the observation deck before she answered and he found her and Kaiden on the deck with another student, this one a Batarian named Akophe Gropp'roke, as Jack was hovering protectively over the younglings across the room. He joined them on the deck to find the student still conscious and straining under Kaiden's grip.

"She just came in and raised a weapon," Nair said standing up and moving over to her master. "I called her weapon to my hand before she could get a shot off."

"Good work Padawan…Vanguard agents, here?" he asked Kaiden, but she just nodded at Nair and Ven turned his attention back to her.

"Its worse Master, I compelled her to tell me, I thought the situation warrant-"

"-Nair, what is it?" he snapped, cutting off her rationalization for using a mind trick.

She looked across at the crying children and then back to him, "they're coming."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"You know this facility better than I," Ven said as Kaiden snapped into her leg armor. Suddenly the young woman pulled off her fatigue top to reveal what looked like a form fitting black synth silk undershirt. Ven averted his eyes as a feeling of discomfort gripped him. Eventually his intrigue in her won out and he glanced back up. Kaiden had the build of a Republic commando, firm arms, shoulders, and a hard stomach. But she was also stunningly beautiful with raven black hair that framed a tanned face and matched a small mole on her cheek. She must've seen something in his face as she flashed a half smile before pointing past him.

"They'll come in through the front," she answered before squeezing into a medium set of gray and red armor emblazoned with an N7 over her right breast.

"The front?" Ven asked, attempting to overcome the mild embarrassment he felt at her subtle acknowledgment of his discomfort.

"The Vanguard's leader, Elishi D'arus, isn't just some quasi-prophet. She used to be an Asari Justicar and before that an Asari commando. She is a top rate strategist and doesn't do anything by half. Only an amateur would separate her force and bottleneck them in narrow peripheral hatches. She may send some of her heavy hitters through the maintenance hatches but she'll be leading the main force right in the front door. Plus she knows I'm here which means she knows I know she'll come in hard right through our center, which of course means she's expecting us to believe she'll change her tactics. She won't." She finished maneuvering her way into the armored top as she spoke and moved over to him before turning around. "Put your thumb in the middle of that spinal connection there."

"Well count me among the amateurs then. The little battle strategy I studied always said to never attack entrenched defenders head on".

"That's open field combat" she snapped armor on to her right leg, giving it a rap to check its solidity. "Plus we have another advantage".

"And what's that?"

"Their biotics…which means their arrogant".

"Ahh".

She finished maneuvering her way into the armored top as she spoke and moved over to him before turning around. "Put your thumb in the middle of that spinal connection there."

He found the small activator and the chest armor began to tighten around the shoulders and midriff. She nodded her thanks and checked her hand cannon before holstering it on her leg.

"How confident are you that you can do that again?" she pointed to the hilt of his lightsaber and he knew immediately that she meant his deflections during the attack.

"Are all of your weapons powered by these mass effect fields?"

It was her turn to nod. "Then I believe I can change their direction inglancing degrees, unlike a laser or plasma bolt where I am from which we can often direct right back at the shooter."

"Ahh…that must come in handy".

"Did you ever show the students want you could really do?"

Ven didn't need to think about it, he just shook his head once.

"Then Oppitana and Akophe won't have been able to relay any real information" she said almost to herself as she stared off in thought. Finally she snapped out of it and smacked him lightly on the chest, "Come with me, we need to get you and Nair some armor." She moved past Ven with a look he hadn't seen from her yet, and a look he hoped was never directed at him.

The Jedi stood in front of the makeshift barrier by the Academy's large foyer door, which led to the visitor's hangar bay. It hadn't taken them much investigating to find out that the two Vanguard spies, or defectors, they still hadn't determined which, had sabotaged the facilities defensive weapons before launching their suicidal attacks. The three transport vessels had appeared on scans thirty minutes ago. Their bot had begun working on the automatic double door three minutes ago. And the two robed Jedi just stood there, eyes closed and their hands out in front of them in what looked like a meditative gesture. Kaiden had been more than skeptical of their philosophy at that first meeting, but the past weeks had begun to chip away at her resolve. Their demeanor was infectious. No matter the situation, they always seemed completely at ease. She had even started meditating a few minutes every night before going to sleep.

The seizure of bright sparks came to end near the doors apex and she readied herself with a few deep breaths. The Jedi opened their eyes and let their billowy robes drop to the ground around their ankles. They unclasped their sword hilts and brought them up as brilliant streams of blue and green energy shot out of them before terminating two feet from the source.

"They crazy?" one of the older students asked with a dubious smile.

"Don't worry Bray, you're still the craziest one here," Kaiden answered and it elicited a laugh from most of the students behind their barricade. It was at that moment she realized none of the young twenty something students around her seemed nervous. _Neither do I_ she thought. She couldn't explain it but she was completely confident in what was to come.

Suddenly the air around them seemed to come alive with an unexplainable kind of static energy and she readied her blaster. A moment later the air seemed to pop before the door blew in, a wall of thin space age metal collapsed like a totaled flyer. And through that opening that she got a clear look at the woman who had been like an aunt during her childhood, but was now nothing more than a stranger at best and a mortal enemy at worst.

Ven and Nair waited until the last moment, but the force of the blast took them both by surprise, sending them flying past Shepherd and the other students. Ven landed in a large fountain burst out of the water to find Nair climbing to her feet by the atrium's visitor's desk. The blast of power had sent the interior lighting into a seizure, casting the atrium and the foyer it connected to into a dizzying strobe of light.

Kaiden saw the Jedi fly past them over head but didn't have time to consider what that meant. All she knew were her prior feelings of certainty were fading fast. She raised up over the propped up bedroom doors they had laid against kitchen crates and began firing at the press of armored biotics pouring through the destroyed entryway. It was at that moment she wondered if her name would get her executed on sight. Because right now her confidence was no longer wavering. It was gone.

Whatever had been supplementing her normal poise may have vanished, but Kaiden Shepherd had brashness to spare. She fired a number of rounds into the mass of light armored bodies pouring through the ingress. Asari, Turians, Batarians, even a Drell among them. And there was Elisha, as ever, leading her cadre of extremists holding a biotic shield over the group that would rival anything Hahne-Kedar could produce. _They trying to close!_ She thought worriedly, knowing their gun kata would have the upper hand against the Jeet Kun Do they taught their own students. She readied a biotic warp and directed it at Jack's shield. At the same moment a flash of brilliant blue through the blinking light above her and she glanced up to see Ven and Nair ten meters in the air, each directing their free hand down towards their closing attackers. The resulting cascade of energy blew one of their barriers over their heads and Kaiden hit the deck before the combined blast's primary target, the black clad biotics at the forefront of the terrorist force, went spinning in various directions like a pile of trash hit by a gust of wind.

Ven and Nair had caught the Vanguard unaware this time, and they used the blowback of their Force push to propel themselves to the back of their ranks, just in front of the ruined hangar door. They landed in the mass of bodies, and immediately began swinging their superheated cutlasses against the Darksiders. And he had no doubt now about their affiliation. In addition to all having a black dot within an an open circle tattooed on their foreheads they also all had palor to their skin that showed the early distorting effects of those shrouded in the Dark Side.

They also shared something else in common; an ability to move like nexus while still firing their hand cannons with incredible precision. They twirled, cartwheeled, and backflipped, all while firing incredibly accurate shots that took all of Ven's ability to deflect anywhere. Their position in the center of their mass, and the Vanguards concern for their comrades around them was all that saved the two Jedi in those early moments.

Kaiden's hope was chewed up everytime she saw one of these kids fall, and fall they did. Her plan, their numbers, and the Jedi were pushing the Vanguard back into the hangar, but they were paying a heavy price for it. Their shots were sharper, their biotics deadlier, and her thoughts were punctuated by the sight of a seventeen year old being pulled over the bannister and rocketed to the ground in an impact that buckled the duranium beneath their feet. Then she felt more than saw the Jedi in trouble and found them in the battle, Ven clutching his neck, Nair leaking blue blood down the front of her face from what appeared to be a head wound.

Ven used his own teras kasi to roundhouse one and sweep the legs out from another in one seamless move. Next to him he saw Nair remove one's legs at the knees as she spun past before using her swinging momentum to launch into a spinning roundhouse of another before backing up to her Master again.

Kaiden saw the Jedi land behind Elisha and her main force. For just a moment they looked like a handlight dropped in a roiling black sea before it sunk below the surface. But she didn't have time to feel concern. She stood with her students as they unloaded projectiles and biotic throws and slams into the now unshielded extremists ahead. The tide had turned again as the Vanguard attempted to take the high ground via the steps that led to the second floor administration offices only to run into a wall of a biotic field that sent them tumbling back down as a menacing looking Jack move down the steps throwing warp fields and slamming attackers. More students rose over the second story bannister and began firing. Then she felt more than saw the Jedi in trouble and found them in the battle, Ven clutching his neck, Nair leaking blue blood down the front of her face from what appeared to be a head wound…but it was too late to turn the momentum back. Jack had been the decider, just as she hoped she would be.

"Keep firing! Don't worry about me!" she yelled at Bray and the others beside her in cover. She hopped the crates and waded into the melee. She grabbed an Asari Vanguard with biotics and slammed her down into her compatriots trying to surround the injured Jedi. They had turned their attention from her to the stairs on their flanks, and they would pay for the oversight. The students may not train with an M6, but she was a master with it even for a biotic SPECTRE. One shot found the temple of a human man making a twirling dash up the left side staircase. Another round found the throat of a human female with a shaved head who had clearly modeled her short life on her prophet judging by the coating of tattoos the projectile cut through. Finally, her deadly accuracy turned their attention away from the students on their flanks and back towards her. It was Elisha who first sensed her and turned back with a snarl. Kaiden reactivated her shields and charged.

A moment of trying to manipulate the Force rather than letting it flow through him was all it took for the sand grain sized round to bypass his guard and graze the side of his neck. Behind him he had heard his Padawan grunt but she remained strong in the Force minutes after being wounded. He turned to see Kaiden charging at the Vanguard leader before a simple gesture from the savage looking woman froze the SPECTRE in place. He touched Nair through the Force and a moment later they were both leaping clear and coming down between Kaiden and the leader, Elishi.

No words were exchanged. The flamboyant looking leader in black and goal armor, and not much underneath, began firing and moving immediately. Nair stood in front of Kaiden as Ven moved with the powerful disciple. He let go and became a vessel for the Force once again. His blocks were truer and finally threw Elishi off with a ricocheted round that came too close for comfort. Ven used the disruption to grab her blaster with the Force and yank it free of her grip. Nair now moved beside him as Jack backed up towards the hangar bay with the rest of her retreating army. Ven attempted to link telepathically with Nair again but before he could his Padawan made her move, closing within meters before lightning erupted from the fingerless gloved hands of their quarry. The display of power took Ven by surprise as much as it did his Padawan, but it was she who was in its direct path.

The jolt of electricity sent her spinning sideways through the air before coming to rest in between two casualties of the battle. Ven leapt to her side catching the follow up blast on his blade and holding it with everything he had until the connection was broken and he opened his eyes to see Elishi blasted backwards into her mass of followers now fighting an invisible field being pushed upon them by a confidently striding Jack. Ven checked her pulse before gesturing at a still immobile Kaiden. She dropped out of the Force stasis and fell to her knees for just a moment, before rising quickly and charging forward again.

"Call them back!" he yelled as she ran by. She stopped short and look at him as if he had told her to stick her blaster in her mouth.

"She's more powerful than you know. Have them defend the entrance," he said while still checking his student's vitals.

"Form up on the door! Back now! Get out of there!" she yelled at the students starting to cross the blown out threshold into the hangar.

She took up a position herself just on the still standing side of the hangar door.

"Your friends have sealed your fate Shepherd!" she heard from the other side.

She started to yell something back but Ven grabbed her and the student beside her. "Get back!" he yelled, pulling them with him before the rest of the hangar door began to creak and break away, disappearing into an opened singularity.

Kaiden looked around at the mass of bodies; red armored students and black armored terrorists, the oldest of which still looked younger than her, and dropped to her knees. The survivors moved around like stunned Elcor, checking the dead and wounded for friends or anyone they could help.

"We made it." Kaiden looked up to see Bray moving around from behind the barrier.

"Some of u-" Kaiden started to say before the young man's forehead erupted. His fall forward revealed a black armor Vanguard who had gotten past the mined hatches. Kaiden shot from her knees, clipping the shoulder that held his gun and it clattered to the floor. She was on her feet and charging before anyone around her knew what was going on. She rugby tackled the young Asari into the atrium and came up smashing her gauntleted fists down into her face. She was out after the first blow but Kaiden kept swinging her fists down into the tattooed face on the floor before her. The same anger she felt that day on Patamalrus boiled to the surface again and she's not sure she would've ever stopped had the Jedi not caught one of her fists and lifted her off the battered Asari with one arm.

By the time the singularity dissipated the transports were gone, and they were left with the low hum of fractured lighting and heavy breathing of traumatized survivors.

"We're done playing defense…I need to see the broker" Shepherd snapped on her heel and stalked off.

"Who's the broker?" Ven asked to no reply from Shepherd and only one word from Jack. "Trouble".

Forty-eight hours brought little relief. The blood was cleaned, the rubble picked up, the dead, all forty one, had been committed to the void. The Jedi attempted to explain the nature of death in the Force. And while it was done with modesty and respect for the Buddhists, Hindus, Baha'i's, Christians, and atheists, it did little for the students who had lost friends, siblings, or lovers. Adding to the heartbreak was a new fear that had settled over the students. There was no longer a presumption of equanimity between themselves and the Vanguards. Whatever they had done had amplified their power beyond anything the biotics of the Grissom Academy could match. Ven Sala was sure they had removed their amplification chips and begun immersin themselves in this "Dark Side of the Force" he spoke so warningly about. Right now, she didn't care what the reason was. They needed to change the momentum, and fast.

"Kaiden?" the voice snapped her head up from its near permanent place in her hands as she sat in the empty mess hall.

"What is it Jack?" she asked the director. Kaiden was ashamed to admit that it had been the former anarchist who had been the rock the students had needed the past two days as she simmered in a barely contained rage.

"We're picking up ships on scan."

She leapt off the bench and began jogging to the communication room.

She met the Jedi just outside the entranceway. Nair had a large bandage over one of her cranial humps.

"Would they double back?" the Jedi student asked.

Kaiden could only shrug as they entered the high tech observation vestibule on top of the facility. "I wouldn't put it past her."

Once inside Kaiden began pacing over the shoulders of the two non-biotic techs. "Do we have comms repaired enough to send shortwave hails?"

The young human man looked a bit nervous as he shook his head at her. "No ma'am."

Ven couldn't help but stare at the female Earthling beside him. She had so much potential, but she was a slave to her emotions. It's what made her the leader she was in battle, but it would be a serious impediment to any serious training in the ways of the Force. The tense moments climiaxed when two ships blinked in to the system, and ended as soon as Kaiden and Jack got a look at the vessels. The first one Ven also recognized immediately as her mother's personal yacht. The other was a military vessel but far sleeker than the one Commander V'aka had arrived on weeks earlier.

Kaiden stopped pacing and squeezed Dr. Sanders shoulder before turning to run for the door. "Who is it?"

"Help," she cried without looking back as she dashed out the doorway.

Ven, Nair and Jack caught up to her as the yacht settled down on the recently cleared hangar floor.

The ramp descended as Councilor Williams moved down it, looking around the partially destroyed hangar with a mix of disbelief and belated worry. Behind her was one of those aliens with the hard exoskeleton Ven had seen on their Citadel.

"Mom!" Kaiden yelled and began to trot towards the ship before stopping at the site of the alien behind her. "Garrus!" she yelled even louder and broke into a full run towards the pair.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"I'm not…officially," the Turian finally answered Kaiden's question about his being here.

"Officially?" she asked with a smile Ven was happy to see back on her face.

"Officially, the Hierarchy will not commit forces to what they see as a non-Turian problem unless our _Councilor_ orders it." The older Turian's tone left no doubt as to his feelings about his species representative on the Council.

"Non-Turian?" Ven asked the table.

"Very few biotics…or Force sensitives, therefore _very few_ Turians could be part of this…renegade movement" Garrus said by way of introduction. Ven threw his head back in a gesture of understanding before taking his clawed hand.

"I left the Citadel and went straight to Palaven. I've done as much as I can with the Council. It's time for an old Normandy mission," Ashley Williams said with a look Ven had seen in many rogues and smugglers in his part of the universe.

"Then let us speak to them again. The situation is far more dire than they know. This 'Primarch' is harnessing the power of the Dark Side. She has removed these activation chips which was only inhibiting the power of her followers…Their power in the Dark Side will continue to grow," Nair chimed in, struggling to wrap her mouth around the unusual names in this part of the universe, part of her face still covered with a substance called medi-gel.

Ashley Williams gave her a gracious look but shook her head none-the-less. "It won't make a difference I'm afraid. The Council and individual governments believe the Vanguard is a human problem. They pay lip service about fully prosecuting any of their people involved, but they won't raise a fleet against their own people…not in this current climate. Hell, I hate to say it but after your arrival some may even be hoping the Vanguard takes us down a peg or two."

Ven silently processed the information. He knew of this sort of inter-species conflict in his own galaxy in groups like the Diversity Alliance, but it had long since abated. "That may be but we still need help."

He clasped his hands in deep thought before finally looking down the table at Jack. "Director, with your permission I'd like to requisition twelve of your best students for a trip back to my galaxy."

Jack looked to Ashley before Ven turned his eyes to her as well. "Councilor, I think it would be best if you recorded a message on this device making a formal request for assistance."

The human gave a warm but tight smile. "I appreciate what you are trying to do Master Sala but…I cannot do what you ask."

Kaiden started to speak but her mother threw up a warning hand. "I will do what I can to rally old allies here. If you still want to go home and ask for help without my request I would be forever grateful, and would be more than willing to allow some of our students to return with you. I believe the Council is not only wrong, but they are putting tribalism before our safety yet again. That said, one being cannot make the decision you put to me."

Ven hadn't considered it but knew immediately she was right of course. A formal request could bring an armada, an alien armada that would in all likelihood open their galaxy up to the wider universe indefinitely and exacerbate their current problems.

He nodded his understanding. "I understand. I would still ask for those students. At the very least we can inform my Order of the darkness here."

He turned to Nair. "Padawan. You will lead the students back to Tython. They will help you stabilize the wormhole and give you reason to return should the Council deny your request for aid."

He could tell she wanted to argue. Argue about their splitting up, about her leaving him here in this strange and dangerous galaxy. But she was too proud a Jedi for that. So instead she just bowed.

"…and Padawan, gather non-human allies or none at all".

As the Councilor's personal yacht, the _Omaha_ burst through the cloud bank, Ven was struck by both the beauty, and the resemblance to Tython, of these humans home planet, Earth. Landing at the Systems Alliance Defense Command in a city called Vancouver had also left him slightly worried for their culture. Everywhere he looked he saw automation of some sort. He wanted to chalk it up to their continued rebuilding efforts but some of it seemed to have little purpose. For millennia his society's governments had curtailed technological innovation for innovation's sake. In early Republic history scientists and philosophers both had realized the danger of technology outpacing being's ability to use it responsibly. That said, it wasn't his place to point these things out to them. Maybe transhumanism would work for them. He was a guest, nothing more.

They passed numerous checkpoints and terminals. At each Ven could see the reverence with which the enlisted personnel had for Ashley Williams, who was only too happy to stop for a moment to commend the soldiers and offer a few words of encouragement. He didn't know if this level of respect came from her role in what they called the Reaper War, or her position as their representative on the Council, cause it could've been either or both. She was a natural leader and gave off a Force aura of confidence whether she was sensitive to it or not.

They entered the Special Naval Warfare and Reconnaissance division and were greeted by a large olive skinned man who appeared to be entering late middle age. He greeted Kaiden and Councilor Williams with affectionate hugs. He held on to Ashley's hand for a moment longer before extending it to Ven. Used to the gesture by now Ven clasped it firmly as the man inspected him as a diplomat might inspect a new series of protocol droid back home.

He broke the handshake and turned back to his wife as he led them down the nearest corridor. "The admiral isn't happy about it but he's releasing her to us."

"Us?" Williams asked with a coy look.

Her husband gave a disinterested shrug. "One of his stipulations was that I stay with her."

With the last word he slapped a control panel revealing a massive hangar. Sitting before them, shining under the brightness of hanging spotlights was a pockmarked black and white ship emblazoned with the word 'Normandy' across its starboard flank followed by the designation 'SR-2'. _So this is what she meant by Normandy mission_.

"He still doesn't understand why we don't take one of the new SR-3's," James said with a knowing smile as they came to a stop just under the sleek looking ship.

"Yatsenyuk wouldn't" Ashley returned the same smile with a twinkle in her eye as she reached up and touched the bottom of the ships bent wing.

Ven and Kaiden stepped up on either side of Vega.

"She's beautiful isn't she?" the human SPECTRE instructor asked the newcomer beside him with more than a hint of defensiveness.

"Very," he answered without patronizing him.

The muscled man turned back to his adopted daughter. "So where to first?"

She pointed at the clearly reminiscing soldier turned Councilor in front of her. "Ask her?"

"So, how bout it Ash?" he nodded the question at his wife.

"Tuchanka," She said marching to the ship's stern before lowering the ramp via a control panel behind the ships viewing platform.

"Ahh…shit".


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Nair was sure that if this mission ended her career as a Jedi, she could always go on to become a Tythonian tour guide. Not that the Academy students were acting like gawking tourists, but the Council had sent word for Nair to lead the dozen extra-galactic visitors around the planet for a day. That day had turned into two as they now walked through the red granite corridors of Vur Tepe, better known as the Forge.

Despite the nerve wrecking anticipation to return to her Master and the danger she knew he must certainly be getting in, she was enjoying her time with the Grissom students. Part of her wondered if she truly enjoyed their company or if she was really just enjoying talking about her home. She had never had to explain it to anyone. Even the most isolationist community at the tail end of the Hydian knew the basics of galactic history and culture. That said, she had grown to like them personally over the past week.

In the two days it had taken to reach the wormhole she had showed them a variation of a Force barrier to help stabilize the wormhole. They had taken to her training like younglings at Kesh. And though she was loathe to acknowledge her own ego, their attentiveness made her feel like a master in the Force, instead of the Padawan learner she still was.

It appeared Nair wasn't alone in her desire to expound on the details of their order. They were currently being led through the volcanic temple by Master Uli Dukot, the aging keeper of the order's machinations. Vur Tepe had played a much more pivotal role for the ancient Jedaii-Bendu. In the days of the early Republic through the Great Sith War Jedi routinely wore full body armor and wielded a plethora of weapons in addition to their sabers. After the Treaty of Rusaan the order had forsaken its armor and supplemental weaponry in order to appear more like the diplomats they strove to be rather than the warriors they were often forced to be. However, like most of the Rusaan reformations the moratorium on armor had been laid to rest. In the eyes of the Council too many Jedi had been killed for the sake of appearances. Today, a Jedi going into dangerous mission would often take a set of armor and a scout pistol in addition to their saber and shoto, all crafted at Vur Tepe along with the Order's Starfighters. In addition, the Forge was the temple wear all lightsabers were constructed by Padawans after their return from Adgea.

Master Dukot was speaking about the oculus in the center of the central Forge floor that looked down on the mouth of the now dormant volcano when her comm flashed. She moved away from the group to answer it. "Padawan Nesbo. You are to bring a representative of these students and report to Kaleth."

"While the potential of rising darkness, even from another galaxy, is troubling, it is simply not our place to intervene in the affairs of uncontacted worlds," Grand Master Rhysode finished saying to subtle nods from the other Councilors seated around him.

Nair could feel the air go out of Han Fei next to him and she panicked.

"But Master, is the Force not universal? We intervene in crisis in Imperial Republic systems, GA worlds, even in the Mandalorian dominion…what do political, or even galactic boundaries mean to its nature?" It was the first time she had spoken in the High Council chamber beyond a perfunctory 'yes master' and she couldn't tell if they were glad she did or wished she hadn't.

"Nothing" Master Anix, the Gand, answered from the right of the Grand Master. "But we are merely its servants, not it's equal. We must abide by the limitations of our world and put our trust in the Force."

"Besides Padawan, those beings know us and respect our authority if not our jurisdiction" spoke Ben Kesto, a human from Anaxes.

The Grand Master looked at Han Fei, Nair's handpicked representative from the academy. "We understand your plight. You are on the verge of understanding the true nature of the Force, its nature and its duality. It would appear others you know have already begun to explore the Dark Side of the Force. You must convince your people of the importance of the need for growth and balance in the Force. Should your leaders put this request to this body we will revisit our decision.

He held up a hand to forestall Nair's new retort. "I will assign two Rangers to accompany you on your return journey. You are to tell your Master the Council wishes to see him immediately.

The young Twi'lek started to speak again but the look from the order's greatest Jedi snuffed out her resistance with its authority. Instead she merely bowed her head.

"Masters if I may?" the voice surprised her as Rand Jonibe had been so quiet she had forgotten she had been asked to this session due to her previous interaction with the Citadellians.

"Yes Master Jonibe?"

"May I propose that I and my Padawan return with them. The beings there are familiar with us and our presence there will be non-invasive. We could work to set them on a path to restoring the balance in their own galaxy without our interference on a visible scale."

Grand Master Rhysode looked at the other members of the Council. Their faces betrayed nothing to Nair but they all shared such an empathic connection that they could practically debate the questions before them with facial cues. Finally Rhysode looked back to the assembled plaintiffs, "Are you acting through contemplation with the Force, or feelings for your old friend?"

"Both Grand Master. But my sense is no less in tune with the will of the Force."

"Then we accept your proposal. You will meet with master Sala and work to train these Force users in the Light side of the Force. They will be the ones to bring balance to their worlds. You are to play no part outside that of an advisor."

Nair bowed her head again, but this time the top of her head was shielding a tug on the corner of her mouth.

They had flown the Alliance frigate from the mouth of the wormhole to the nearest hyperspace exchange, which was simply a collection of hyperspace rings to be used freely by ships lacking the subspace warping capability, and taken a ring to the Deep Core exchange outside Tython. But now, they had made the decision to leave the Alliance frigate on Tython in exchange for one of the order's own cruisers which they flew out of Vur Tepe. Master Jonibe had been given permission to inform the Empress of the situation on behalf of the Order, and as the off white ship with the cobalt blue emblem of the Jedi broke atmosphere over the Jewel of the Core, Nair saw its effect on the two Earthlings and one Asari on the bridge with her.

"How? How is this possible?" asked a student named Lydia de la Cruz.

"I don't know really…Coruscant has been the seat of power for just about every form of government we've had for thirty thousand years. I guess every generation added something," Nair said hesitantly, unsure of how to answer a question she really never thought about.

"No, I mean how? Where does the oxygen come from? How do you get water for a trillion beings?" she almost demanded.

"Oh. While parts of Imperial City reach every hemisphere of the planet, there are large continental swaths of green land where only sporadic ruins of the human's early civilization remain and there are sea size freshwater lakes, in addition to underground reservoirs."

The students accepted her explanation with an incredulous shake of their head and went back to looking out the wrap around viewport. It wasn't until they had left her alone with her thoughts that Nair began to realize just how dominant the humans were in her own society. It had been that way for so long that it wasn't even questioned anymore. But as she contrasted the look of purposely hidden worry on the face of the Asari student with the look of something that could be pride on the faces of the two humans beside her, her thoughts broached uncomfortable new ground.

They had been given clearance to land at Republic Defense Command, which was in the Palace District, but chose to debark at the Centralia Memorial Spaceport. She explained as much as she could while remaining as congenial as possible. She couldn't believe a situation could arise that her master could not handle but she was anxious to get back to him none the less. Either due to her lack of ability or the interstellar void between them she couldn't feel his presence in the Force, and it worried her.

"What's that game there?" Han asked pointing at a wall screen along the Memorial pedway.

"Smashball," she answered absent-mindedly. Then she remembered herself. "It's a sport, for fun, but they are professionals at it."

"Yeah, it's just that it looks remarkably similar to one of our own games." He stopped with the other human to take a closer look at the multispecies teams tossing an oblong ball between them and running into each other. The Asari, Vedran, was noticeably bored with the change in topic from architecture.

"Really? I've never been a fan…too violent for me. It's mainly popular out on the Mid and Outer Rim, so this must be a big match to be shown here," she and Rand stopped alongside them for a moment to watch.

"Do you like any sports?" Lydia asked.

"There are some individual pursuits I enjoy…I like when sports are popular…it usually means there's enough peace in the galaxy for beings to focus on the trivial" she answered before looking to the auburn haired Jedi beside her. "Master Jonibe likes…what's it called?"

The older Jedi was already smiling at her. "You'd call it Boloball. Come we must get to the palace before sunset" she finished with a wink.

Ostentatious would be shamefully inadequate in describing the Imperial Palace. It reminded Han of his home city of Gold Coast, if you pushed all the downtown buildings together and painted them the city's namesake.

Given the pretense he thought the empress would be something out of pre-revolutionary France with a trailing gown and sycophants running around behind her. The reality couldn't have been farther from the mental image.

Empress Arien was beautiful to be sure, dressed in something called shimmersilk that hugged her figure but stopped at the floor. Around her head she wore a simple gold band that stopped inches from connecting at her forehead. But that gown revealed a figure that was anything but soft from a life of privilege. And despite the setting and her position she treated Han and those around her no differently than a politician back home. Actually, she seemed a lot more genuine in her feelings for her advisors than any politician Han had seen on Earth. And towards the Jedi, she was almost deferential…almost.

"So you're saying that had your people not had this galactic war against these machines, that you would be able to pacify these _Vanguards_ without our help?" the Empress asked from her position in front of the standing group. She had a high backed throne at the top of three steps behind her that she was choosing to forsake in favor of this more egalitarian approach.

The three Earthlings shifted uneasily in their stance and Nair cleared her throat. "Uh, yes…empress. We believe that is so. The Reaper War severely damaged our infrastructure. Over half of the mass relays we use to travel were damaged beyond repair," Han managed.

"So why don't we lend your people the material and funds needed to rebuild? My knights tell me that seemed to be the more dire issue" Empress Arien asked to the chagrin of what was obviously a treasurer standing on the second step behind her.

"I thank you your highness for the offer but-"

"What our guest is trying to say empress is that they are here unofficially. They have not been given leave from a majority of their government to pursue our help here…besides the knights left before the attack on their academy, the Vanguard is a far more dangerous threat then we first considered" Master Jonibe interjected.

"Oh," Arien clucked her tongue inside a closed mouth. "How very brave…and you said your name was Han?"

"What? Yes empress, Han Fei," the young human spat out nervously.

Arien turned to pace, her arms locked behind her waist. "Go figure. The first name I can pronounce and its from a disobedient Han," she smiled broadly at Rand Jonibe who returned a more subdued grin.

His unease growing Han tried to make up for his last incomprehensible attempt at conversation. "It's a name common to one of the nation states on my planet."

"Interesting. It's common to a whole system here," she said, appraising the young Chinese-Australian one last time before turning back to Jonibe.

"Master Jonibe, what does your order recommend?" she brought a contemplative hand up to her chin.

"That the four of us work in an advisory capacity only. Once the Citadel galaxy is once again standing on its own we can discuss further contact if that is their will." Jonibe flashed an eye and a nod to the three Citadellians at the last part, all of whom blanched under the weight of her words. They were students. The thought of being party to such weighty matters as intergalactic politics made them as uneasy as it should have.

"So we are helping out of the goodness of our hearts?" the empress spread her bejeweled arms wide. It would've been the first sign of her station if cuffs, gauntlets, and chains hadn't been such a common sight on their brief sightseeing tour.

"It is the will of the Force your Highness," Rand turned the patronizing gesture and Arien smiled her dazzling smile again.

"So it is. However, I do still concur with your wise council. It is not our place to ride into the rescue of a sovereign government unbidden. I will send the same two Knights already somewhat familiar with the situation." She started to turn around but stopped upon seeing Rand's expression. "I only assume that would be acceptable. Is it not? You were here to ask for help correct?"

Master Jonibe's face turned back to a mask of neutrality. "Of course your Highness…but there is one stipulation."

"You have a stipulation?" the empress chuckled.

"We need two non-human Knights as well…its part of a strategy I assure you".

Nair was left feeling excited as they were politely ushered out of the throne room. Then she realized her thoughts at the prospect of seeing Ondesa Diequr once again might have something to do with it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

To Ven, the world of Tuchanka looked like any number of the war torn worlds in the Outer Rim he had seen as a youngling in one of Master Quetta's experiential history lectures. The skies looked like swirling soot while the ground beneath it was starting to look like Raxus Prime. So he was more than a little surprised when Ashley leaned over and said "you should've seen it before."

The half day wait for clearance at the interdiction point had given Kaiden ample time to explain the beings they sought and how they had almost destroyed themselves with rudimentary atomic weapons before first contact with the Turians. With all that he had learned he would be lying if he said he wasn't uneasy about seeking this alliance.

His thoughts were broken as the clouds of soot whirled past the _Normandy_ and revealed a city that reminded him a bit of the Old City on Tython _._ Ven didn't know if the stories he'd heard on the way made the visage of three heavily armored reptilians waiting at the bottom of the ramp more intimidating, but they couldn't hurt. Two held weapons reminiscent of old E-11 blast cannons in one hand and a leash with a vicious looking type of akk in the other. The final Krogan managed to look the most menacing without a weapon or an animal. He wore red armor to match his blood red eyes. In complete contrast to the picture he presented he threw his arms back and his wide mouth turned upwards in a half smile as Kaiden trotted ahead of the group and embraced the warlord.

"How are you Shepherd?" the Krogan said with that same sneer still plastered on his face.

"Good…well, considering, ya know?" she answered with a light hammer fist to his shoulder pauldron.

The Krogan made a point of glancing at Ashley before answering. "Yeah…I do."

Ashley reached the Krogan a moment later and received a much frostier reception. "Mordin," she said with a much more formal nod from a few feet behind her daughter.

"Councilor," Wrex returned before quickly turning his attention to Ven.

"Welcome to Tuchanka," he called out to Ven with a hand on Kaiden's shoulder still, "I apologize for our hospitality in advance but I can only imagine how your people would react to a permanent blockade of their homeworld?"

Ven felt the waves of enmity coming off all three Krogans. But Ashley was not radiating warmth either.

Kaiden whispered his name in an effort to break the tension. "Shall we do this here or as proper guests inside?" Ashley said as if she were talking to bureaucrats rather than heavily armed warriors growing openly hostile.

"By all means," the leader said, motioning to the group to step through the automatic door behind him.

Nair woke in the early morning. Morning meant little other than it was the time you woke up when you were traveling through hyperspace, but Coruscant controlled everything surrounding culture and standards, even the time, and most ships kept it synched with the 'Jewel of the Core'.

She walked into the Jedi cruiser's central training and meditation room only to find it already occupied. Ondesa sat cross-legged on one of the dark blue mats built into the floor. Training droids stood at various intervals around the room but none bore the tell tale signs of use meaning the young Imperial Knight had just arrived. Nair turned to head back through the threshold.

"I believe there is room enough for the both us Padawan Nesbo," the human remarked, opening his right eye to catch a fleeing Nair.

Now a bit embarrassed she tried to recover gracefully. "Sorry, I meant no offense but I didn't want to disturb you. Besides I was coming to train…I meditated this morning."

Ondesa motioned to the floor in front of him. "So meditate with me for a moment longer…and then we'll train together."

Nair knew she was playing with a fire that the Imperial Knight couldn't, or wouldn't, understand. Each of them were too adept at reading the emotions of others to know their interactions had been anything but innocent over the past few days. But she sat regardless. And she imagined a devious twinkle in his brown eyes as she did.

They sank into the Force together. Connecting and disconnecting as they floated through the ether of the Force, replenishing their energy and spirit in a partnership that easily exceeded what she could do by herself. She had never meshed so effortlessly with a meditation partner before, and she got the sense he hadn't either. Ondesa was powerful in the Force, more powerful than any other Imperial Knight she had interacted with.

She had to suppress a giddy smile as she opened her eyes. It was the kind of feeling she got after first learning to meditate in the Force as youngling. Euphoric was the only way to describe it.

"Shall we spar?" the handsome black haired human was standing over her with a chlovi sweet colored hand. His other hand gripped the black metallic hilt of his lightsaber.

"With our own sabers?" she asked, taking his hand without thinking.

He smiled easily and she got that familiar heat bloom in her chest. "I think we're both past the training saber phase, don't you?"

She flicked off her dark brown robe before stepping over to the room's other mat.

"I assume you will take it easy on just a lowly Imperial Knight, all-powerful Jedi" he mocked her with a quick kneel.

"I was just going to ask the same? Since you're the ones that devote every waking hour to lightsaber combat," she said while igniting her emerald green saber. Before whipping the blade up perpendicular to her forehead in an ancient gesture of respect between saber combatants.

Ondesa only shrugged and ignited his pearlescent white blade.

He wasted no time returning the gesture and transitioning into the starting position of the Ataru lightsaber form; blade hand held high with blade pointed at a twenty degree angle downwards. Nair on the other hand, rounded into the starting position for Soresu; blade brought horizontal below her chin pointed outwards and her free hand paralleled the blade in a two finger salute. She was pleased to see Ondesa used Ataru. It was a form deemed too aggressive for most Jedi so she rarely got to train against it. Occasionally her master, Ven Sala, would transition into Ataru from his natural Makashi form, but the power form differed so greatly from Master Sala's elegant and effortless Makashi style that it was difficult for him to master.

True to his Ataru style Ondesa opened the sparring with a Hawk-Bat Swoop, jumping at her from just off to one side, using her deflection to propel past her and out of her reach in a mid-air cartwheel. He wasted no time in showing his next move, a Su Ma, that he executed sloppily and allowed Nair to land a roundhouse kick to his midsection while he was upside down above her. He smiled lightly and Nair returned it. She had to admit she was impressed. The Su Ma was the pinnacle move of Form IV and to be as close as he was at his age was nothing short of incredible.

For the next couple of minutes Ondesa abandoned the high flying maneuvers for ground based attacks, focused on a rotation of high and low attacks.

"So did you have a parent in the Knights?" Nair asked between blocks.

"Both actually," he answered with a rush of breath as he tried an overhead feint into a spinning straight kick.

Nair blocked it but took a skip backwards. Family lineage was the one way Imperial Knights could get around that the Treaty stipulations of midi-chlorian counts. Ondesa was definitely powerful enough to be a Jedi.

Over the next few minutes Ondesa pressed his attack while Nair used her form's defensive nature to tire him out. Whether it was his feelings for her and his wish to impress her, or the natural rivalry between Knights and Jedi but his attack was relentless. Finally, after he overcommitted on a Saber Swarm she was able to launch a counter attack. Bringing her blade up and from the left she made contact near the hilt of his own blade before wrenching the blade back down, pulling his blade through her armpit and locking it down before an elbow to the chest sent him reeling backwards…unarmed.

He looked shocked and for a moment she worried he was going to take it badly and ruin the good impression she had of him. But almost as if sensing that worry he playfully rubbed the spot on his chest where she had elbowed him while mouthing the word "ow". Nair tossed the black saber hilt back to him and he caught it before repeating his mock bow on one knee he had done before the match.

"Stop it," she laughed, wiping the sweat from her brow with one of her sleeves.

He stood up and flashed a smile at her, "alright. In all seriousness though your defense is impenetrable."

"I couldn't believe you almost pulled off that Su Ma. I know a Knight who uses IV who can't pull that off every time." She reconnected her saber to her belt and walked towards him as he did the same.

"You should see me unarmed," he spread his arms with a cocky sneer.

Nair bent down into the Prancing Nexu Teras Kasi style. He raised his eyebrows before crouching into Rolling Ronto. This time it was Nair who was the aggressor, launching opened hand strikes and spinning kicks at her opponent. Ondesa remained low, rolling from left to right before launching into rising strikes with both his hands and feet.

Finally they met, both combatants blocking everything the other could throw.

"What are you doing Ondesa?" she said in between a spinning backhand and jumping over a leg sweep.

"Trying to wear you down before I move in," he answered, rolling away from her heel grounding.

"No" she began blocking his furry of punches, "I mean with me…you know what I mean!"

"Same answer," he smiled.

She launched into an attack of her own, angry at his playfulness when it came to risking her life as a Jedi. Her anger caused her to overcommit and he grabbed her wrist and popped his hips, sending her somersaulting through the air before landing on the mat underneath him.

He still had her arm in a clench as he looked down at her, the sweat starting to bead on his nose just inches from her own. "You let me do that," he breathed.

"What? Why wo-" her words were lost as his mouth covered hers. The surprise shocked her and she tried to pull her head back even further into the mat before she realized what was happening. She rocked her body underneath him and swung him over her, swapping their positions. The move caused them to break lips for a moment…but only a moment. She kissed him deeply. Completely unsure if she was doing it correctly as she had only kissed one person before and that was when she was fourteen. But whether she was doing it right or not she knew she liked it, a lot.

In the heat of the moment the ship entering real space was as jarring as if she heard Master Jonibe clear her throat above her. The realization that they were not alone in the universe and could've been caught at any moment, made Nair refocus on her fear.

Ondesa sensed this and didn't try to bring her back to that previous moment. "We're two days out…we shouldn't be leaving hyperspace," he said from beneath her.

"Something's wrong," Nair said jumping up and leaving Ondesa on the mat as she ran to the door.

She jogged to the cockpit, still waiting for the battle alarm to sound and the interior lights to flash red. But it never happened.

In the cockpit she found Master Jonibe standing behind the two Antaarian pilots.

"Master what is it?" she asked, skidding to a stop.

The Jedi turned to Nair a knowing or mischevious look. Whatever that look was it made Nair's skin flash hot with nervousness. "We're making a detour."

Nair studied the mottled purple and green planet in front of them and searched her memory banks. A rising disbelief gripped her as she walked up to the navigator console and double checked her suspicions. "Here!?" she blurted.

Rand Jonibe added a devious smile to that same look and Nair now knew it had nothing to do with her and Ondesa…but that no longer made her feel any better.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

The ride through the "capital" of Urdnot had been an interesting affair. Kaiden had told him of the Genophage and its subsequent cure at the end of the Reaper War. Ashley commented on the differences in the city outside from the first time she was here thirty years earlier. The stoneworks passing outside the viewscreen of their speeder had once been nothing more than a warren of bombed out buildings and rubble strewn corridors. All the while Mordin and his comrade who wasn't flying sat stonefaced, uneager to brag about their homeworld or people as so many are want to do. Kaiden had told him little of their shared history on the flight over. Only that the Krogan had been prematurely contacted in order to help the Council races fight an insectoid race known as the Rachni. However, the makeshift mercenaries had grown fond of extra-planetary living, and having devastated their own planet in an atomic war just years before first contact, they went on a devastating war of conquest. Hearing about this sterility plague had made him cringe the way he did anytime he heard or felt something that was a complete anathema to the Force. But looking across the passenger benches at their reptilian hosts, Ven could get a sense of how dangerous an adversary the Krogan could be with superior numbers and what appeared their innate thirst for conquest. Ven knew more than most that decisions made in the heat of battle couldn't be second guessed by those from a comfortable seat.

The walk through the Clan fortress called Urdnot Korbal was a little less interesting and a little more disheartening. Krogan fought hairless akk-like animals for currency in deep stone pits in the fort's expansive communal area. They shot helpless creatures they called pyjaks for amusement at a shooting range they walked past off one of the wide corridors. The orbital picket was beginning to make more sense to Ven. This was a primitive, violent species, despite their progress, and he was beginning to have serious doubts about what they were doing here.

Climbing a ramp over the Clan leader's throne they entered a large living area. Mordin lead them to a windowed room overlooking the communal area where they see another Krogan. This one lacked armor, and instead wore a concealing outfit that reminded Ven of human women on the planet of Eriadu. Mordin touched his forehead to what now Ven could gather was his mother. She said nothing to her son but opened her arms to Kaiden as she moved past him. Unlike Mordin, her reception did not change for Ashley, and Ven could feel her relief as she sank into the Krogan female's embrace.

"This is our visitor?" she asked from behind a covering of her mouth as she appraised a suddenly self-conscious Ven. He now noticed another unarmored Krogan standing by the window in what looked like a blue and black cloak. This Krogan, who looked older to Ven due to the paler green complexion of his skin, moved from his post and approached.

"From beyond the Void this one comes," he said, checking over Ven like a moisture farmer would a used vaporator.

Ven took that as his cue to finally speak. "The void of the interstellar medium yes. We came out of curiosity but I stayed out of a sense of duty and obligation to new friends."

Before the pair of Krogan could respond, a bellow sounded from the hall behind them. "If she isn't here to formerly announce the removal of Council forces from Krogan space then I really don't care!"

The voice was intentionally raised, and was followed by Mordin, a younger and slightly smaller Krogan behind him, and a large Krogan in bright red armor and with the same pale complexion of the older Krogan in the cloak but with a vicious set of scars stretched across the right side of his face.

"Maybe we should quit asking," the younger one snapped as he charged at the trio of visitors before stopping inches from Ven's face. Ven surmised meekness would not win the day with these beings so he flexed his jaw and narrowed his eyes into a hard stare at the alien in front of him. His people's evolution in a slightly lighter gravity made him taller than most humans the Krogan had dealt with and the younger Urdnot had broken the stare even before his father intoned, "down pup."

'Pup' broke away and retreated back to his father and brother's side.

"After all, these are still our friends..." the elder Krogan spread his arms and it was Kaiden who approached him first, seemingly unconcerned about the hostility a moment earlier. She easily folded into his embrace and broke it a moment later before Wrex took her shoulders in his large hands. "...but it is a friendship they have used to pacify me for thirty years-"

"-Wrex" Ashley sighed.

"-And as tired as I may be over it, my anger is minor to that of the other clans" he continued over her. He moved Kaiden aside and walked casually to Ashley before opening his arms to her as well. Her mask of frustration wavered slightly as she cracked the slightest smile and offered the big Krogan a shoulder into his midsection.

Wrex finally shot a look to Ven who still stood at stoic attention off to the side. "Your message said you were bringing some sort of religious monk...I thought he was going to

give 'em a proper welcome," he said indicating his youngest son, Maelon.

The others laughed as well and though Ven didn't know exactly what he meant he had a feeling a proper welcome on Tuchanka probably involved a punch or a head butt.

After the icy welcome things lightened up a great deal, especially after the Sarvok juice was served in copious amounts.

The food was fair considering what the Krogans were eating. After a fair amount of reminiscing Wrex circled back to the topic Ven knew he had been waiting to broach.

"Williams, I could talk about the old days with you all night, but you've been avoiding me since the Council denied my request to begin moving Krogan back to Gellix...and I imagine it's why that Turian is still waiting at the picket," the Krogan took a large swig and wiped his mouth before belching...loudly.

Ashley could only shake her head. He may come off like a simple brute but Urdnot Wrex was as sharp as any politician or diplomat she dealt with. "Wrex, we don't have a Clan Leader."

She leaned back in her chair and rested an arm across the back of her daughter's chair next to her. "I can't make things happen by decree. Rightly or wrongly Gellix belongs to the Hierarchy and they are not keen to give it up. Your people have come so far Wrex. You have unified and brought peace to the clans. Your population is beginning to thrive because of it. You have Garvug and Wrill-"

"We had Garvug and Wrill already!" Maelon boomed.

"No you did not. The old DMZ excluded both of those planets" Ashley corrected, raising her voice to show the youngest Urdnot she was not a human to trifle with.

"I mean they were already unclaimed and ours by right."

She waved away the young Krogan's non-sensical argument and turned back to his father. "Wrex. You knew this was not going to be an easy fix. We talked about this...all those years ago. Between the rebuilding and the old wounds from the Rebellions you knew you may not live to see the restoration of the Krogan-"

"-I thought i'd live to see the start" he cut her off with a thump on the table, but the heat had left his words.

"Don't be a fool Wrex, it doesn't suit you. You have now cut yourself off from the rest of the galaxy, which doesn't help your cause. Krogan bounty hunters are still a nuisance in the Verge and we know at least one Krogan from Clan Bragus sits on the Vanguard Coun-"

"-We've stopped the clan wars but we're not going to turn into Elcor," Mordin croaked.

"No one's asking you too Mordin."

"Then what are you asking Williams?" Wrex asked with a look of mischief. Ven stifled a chuckle at his tying of one of the galaxy's head politicians in knots.

"To fight the Vanguard with us," Ashley gave up and said with a knowing smile.

"Well isn't that a coincidence," the Krogan parted his hands wide again and brought them down on the table.

"I think you mean ironic," Ashley teased, just happy the enmity had disappeared from everyone, including Maelon. Alcohol could work wonders at times.

"Mom." Kaiden had been fiddling with a datapad in her lap for a few minutes but now held it up to show her mom.

"What is it?" Mordin asked from beside her.

"The Vanguard hit Eden Prime...146 troopers killed, 2 tons of Eezo stolen." Ashley slid the pad across the table to Wrex who picked it up, with a little trouble.

"Now that's ironic."

They found James waiting just inside the _Normandy's_ airlock with a look that said 'I tried'. Ashley did not need him to elaborate, she simply stalked off to the comm room at the back of the ship.

"Problem?" Kaiden asked.

"Not ours," her stepfather answered with a shrug.

"Any luck with the Chief?" Ven couldn't help but notice the way he used the descriptor. It provided a little more insight as to why he chose to stay aboard.

"He's going to call a ruzad." She attempted not to notice the sarcasm in his voice.

"Ahh..a ruzad...that should be good...a ruzad,"

"it's a conference of the clans...jerk...he'll get them on board" she answered with a playful backhand.

"So what'd you think of our mercenaries?" he asked Ven while pretending to rub the welt out of his upper arm.

"Jovial, impulsive, a tad bipolar...loyal...and from the sound of it, patient." he didn't wait for the other's reply as he could tell it was only going to be a non verbal 'uh-huh'. he simply turned to Kaiden. "I will be in my quarters."

As he turned to head down the navigation and engineering corridor he saw Ashley clear the threshold in the back past saluting sentries. "Any news?" he asked as she passed him.

"Just politics. Nothing for us to worry about...yet," she answered, placing a hand on his arm as she walked by him and back towards her husband and daughter.

"Whack-a-mole?" He hear Kaiden ask behind him.

"Whack-a-mole" Ashley confirmed. Ven looked to an analyst walking by with a schematic and mouthed the phrase.

"Ahh, it means the Alliance is going to keep hitting the Vanguard wherever they pop up without looking to dismantle their command structure...for political reasons" the young human said with a self-satisfied smile, happy to be involved.

"They said all of that with whack-a-mole?" Ven asked, wondering if Galactic Basic had any like phraseology. He couldn't think of any.

"Are we headed to Eden Prime?" Kaiden asked, and he turned to see the answer this time.

"What for? it will be the same as every hit and run attack; silent entry, ground based attack, with little in the way of clues to their location, or clues to an ambush. We're not playing their game anymore. We head to Nos Astra". With that Ashley went to the cockpit and a few moments later the call went out over the ship's com to report to navigation stations.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Nos Astra on the Asari planet of Ilium was far more to Ven's liking. The vast cityscape reminded him of Coronet, Hanna, Ussa, or even Coruscant. Ven had never admitted it to a fellow Jedi but he had always been a little jealous of the Imperial Knights in their old temple in Galactic City. He had never understood some of his fellows who preferred the solitude of barely inhabited planets. It had always seemed anathema to Ven to serve a civilization you never interacted with.

At the moment he was walking alongside Garrus. The Turian had finally gotten his ear and hadn't let it go since he docked his Turian warship with the _Normandy_ at the edge of Ilium's system. Having run out of questions for the moment Ven thought of one to ask him.

"Why did you stay on your ship at Tuchanka?"

"Ahh…well, Ash thought it would be for the best considering what she was trying to accomplish," he answered, a bit ruefully Ven thought.

"You two don't get along? I thought you were all friends?" a lithe Asari bumped into him and then apologized in a seductive manner.

Garus tapped him on the arm. "Do you have a credit pouch?"

Ven shook his head. "Good" the Turian announced and they kept walking.

"So?" Ven prodded, unwilling to let matter lie.

"We are all friends. We've been through more together than most good friends I think…"

"but…"

"…but there are matters bigger than just the two of us and history that can't be easily amended." The Turian glanced out over the darkening skyline.

"You mean the Genophage?" Ven asked grabbing the spot next to him along the railing.

"Well yes, from the Krogan point of view. From mine, there were areas of Palaven that were uninhabitable even before the Reaper War because of the Krogan Rebellions" he said a little sharply and offered a sheepish smile in apology.

Ven thought about offering advice on the poison that was resentment and the regression that sprung from tribalism and clinging to the past, but then remembered it was presumptive to think Garrus didn't know that already and the unassailable history between his people and Wrex's was too high a hurdle.

"Well if she were trying to keep Wrex agreeable she probably should've stayed on board herself," he said instead.

"Who? Ashley? That's all bluster, Wrex could never stay mad at her…and he could never get mad at Kaiden. She knew that".

Ven thought back to that dinner on Tuchanka; the smiles, the stories… "she's a much better politician then she realizes," he offered and Garrus accepted with a grunt of acknowledgment.

"Ashley has been much better at everything she's ever tried."

"I believe that."

"Don't listen to that…he's never seen me cook." They turned around simultaneously to see Ashley, James, and Kaiden standing behind them.

"Believe that," James said with a crooked smile that got a look af admonishment from Ashley.

"C'mon, Madame T'Soni will see us now," James continued unabated, clearly mocking the tone of voice of the broker's assistant.

Esuna dismissed the waiter impatiently as she gazed out the window at her quarry below. This degrading mission was finally showing promise. Even still, Sul'nothea couldn't shake her anger at being left out of the Eden Prime mission. She was Sol'nothea's most powerful pupil, and reconnaissance duty was beneath her. And the fact she was to take no action galled her even more. Almost as much as who she was asked to recon. "Just watch the broker and report back to me" her master had said before seeing her off. She left a credit chit on the table and made for her pre-arranged listening post.

Liara T'soni, known to everyone now as the Shadow Broker, cut a seductive and intimidating figure as she walked in from her outside balcony with Ilium's star setting on the horizon on either side of her. Her office occupied the top floor of one of the tallest cloudcutters in the city. While Ashley was quick to correct Ven in transit when he conflated Liara's position to that of a Black Sun Vigo back home, he still detected more than a hint of disappointment in Liara's chosen profession. Ashley, being who Ven was quickly discovering she was, wasted no time in picking at this scab between them.

"Ashley, it's so good to see you outside the confines of the Presidium," the Asari said in a sort of sing song voice that Ven had to admit was quite pleasant.

Ashley embraced her friend but quickly held her at arm's length. "I'm still waiting to see you outside the confines of this office."

The Asari took the backhanded greeting in stride and waved her arms helplessly at the array of holo and vid boards around her. "Did you hear about the Prothean discovery in the Horse Head?" she asked, unwilling to let it lie and trying to entice Liara with stories of her previous career.

"I wouldn't be much of an information broker if I hadn't" she said gently but with a finality that told her to move on. "It is hard to get excited about ruins anymore after Javik" she added, moving on to Kaiden.

That was a name Ven hadn't heard, but saw it on the _same memorial wall on the ship that he had seen Ashley running her hand over their first morning on board_. After more standard greetings with the other three members of their group she got to Ven. "I'm sorry, Ashley didn't say she was bringing anyone new" she held out a hand for the traditional human greeting.

"I am Ven Sala, and I guess you could say I'm a-"

"-Consultant...from the Terminus" Ashley answered for him, if a bit awkwardly.

Liara cracked an amused half smile and Ven knew immediately she knew exactly who he was...as did Ashley.

"That ship was only on loan to the Asari government. Her crew is under the purview of the Council. I could compel you to tell me who gave you that information." Ashley forced with as much conviction as she could muster.

"I gather then this isn't a social call". Liara took her luxurious chair behind the expensive looking desk and held out her hands. "So what do you need from me?"

Ashley took the chair opposite her and crossed a leg. "I want any information you have on the Vanguard...locations, agents, rumors, doesn't matter. We're almost positive they are still running their terrorism out of Asari space after Patamalrus".

Liara threw her an amused glare. "I can't help you with the Vanguard" she reached out a hand for Ashley's, "I'm sorry."

"You're kidding?" Kaiden gasped. "Are you saying you, the greatest information broker in the galaxy, has heard nothing since the last time we spoke?"

"That's what I'm saying". Her look hardened.

"I don't believe it" Ashley breathed.

"I don't know how many ways I can say it, I have come up with nothing concrete on-"

"-I know what you're saying, I'm saying I no longer believe you," Ashley uncrossed her legs and started to stand.

"Wait a minute," garrus put a hand on Ashley's shoulder and she sat back down.

"You say you have come up with nothing solid? So give us the flimsy leads, we'll run them down".

Garrus was hovering right over her desk now as she looked up. "They're completely unsubstantiated. You would be wasting valuable tim-"

"Why don't you want to give us the leads Liara?"

Garrus was losing his temper now. "I don't even feel like I know you anymore".

"Who are you protecting?" Ven said in his measured tone, withdrawing his hands from his sleeves.

Liara cocked her head at him slightly as the others looked to Ven and then back to her. Finally Ashley stood up to hover next to Garrus. "What's going on Liara? Tell us now".

"People are dying Liara"

"People die everyday Kaiden" Liara retorted, looking up from her naval.

"People like Joker, Chakwas?"

Ven shifted in his stance, noticeable to the others only for its rarity. "Forgive me, but I find it hard to believe you are the same being described to me in transit."

"Liara!" Ashley snapped.

"It's my sister" Liara answered looking past Ashley and Garrus to Ven.

"Your sister?"

"Yes…my sister…she's in the Vanguard" Liara voice wavered for the first time, and when she looked up from her naval this time water was collecting on the bottom lids.

They stayed long enough to resolve some of the negative feelings, but some things couldn't be fixed. And convincing Liara to betray her sister on the promise they would make every attempt to protect her made no difference as the younger sister had purposefully avoided any information on the Vanguard so she could never be tempted to use it. It saddened Kaiden. It saddened her more when she was younger. After growing up on stories of their missions together, and how they started as rivals for her father's attention, Kaiden wanted to repair everything between them and make it go back to how it was. But now she saw that it was life. No more, no less. She was starting to see it in her own life as well. Friends she believed she would never grow apart from at the academy now went months or years without so much as a screen.

But luckily Garrus snapped her out of it with a more practical line of thought. "So we know nothing more than when we arrived other than one of the Asari in the Vanguard will be light skinned and incredibly powerful" he said as the party stopped at viewing platform off the catwalk back to their rented flyer.

Ashley shook her head and leaned against the railing. "I just can't believe she would put one life ahead of thousands…she used to be our moral compass".

"Would you betray Kaiden?" Garrus asked.

She shook her head lightly. "that's different…a mother's bond is…something else".

"Liara's not a mother…maybe a younger sister takes its place".

"Another attack on an Alliance base won't get her message out. Even one in Sol. No, they'll go big and splashy," James said, changing the subject dutifully.

Ven Sala joined them a moment later. "I just got a comm from my Padawan. She is returning from our galaxy with some help, but she would not tell me who. We should meet her at the relay, yes?"

"Might as well, we don't know where they are is or where they're gonna be," James answered, smacking the rail as he stood up next to his wife.

"I know where she's going to be," Kaiden almost whispered.

"What? where?" Ashley stood straight as well.

Kaiden just pointed and they all followed her finger to a holographic advertisement for the upcoming 'V-Day celebrations live from the Citadel featuring Kos Koswana singing from the Shepherd Memorial'"

Up above the catwalk at the top of the flyer storage, Esuna lowered the amplifiers involuntarily, the piece in her ear now picking up the rustling of insects at her feet. _Did I hear that right? "Returning from our galaxy" the mysterious biotic had said._ She was so taken aback by this revelation that she nearly missed they had deduced their plan for Victory Day...nearly. She raised the amplifiers for one last look at her sister, still wiping tears at her office desk, ruing collapsing friendships with her humans.

Two days later Ven was sitting in the _Normandy's_ mess enjoying a cup of coffee. He didn't know if he liked it as much as caf back home, but with some milk and sugar he definitely enjoyed it.

That enjoyment must've showed on his face. "Like the coffee?" Kaiden asked and motioned for the chair across from him. He mimicked her motion and she sat. She was wearing light blue fatigues and a dark blue tank top with the emblem of her Alliance government above the breast. Her jet black hair was tied in a simple bun...and she looked tired, or sad. He didn't know her well enough yet to discern the difference. Even with the unflattering outfit and the bags under her eyes she was incredibly beautiful. She was built like a commando but still retained her femininity, with well-defined shoulders and biceps exercised enough to display a barely visible vein from midway down the arm to her elbow. He snapped himself out of his appreciation for her physical beauty and nodded his agreement. "I do...we have a drink similar back home but it's made from a root rather than beans."

"You should try real Ethiopian coffee...ahhh" she brought her fingertips together and gave them a dramatic kiss before flourishing the same hand. "To die for."

"Ethiopia? What is it?" he asked, smiling at her theatrics.

"Uh, it's a nation, a state." She seemed a little embarrassed.

"So Earth is still divided by nations?" He thought that could be the cause of her discomfort but there was no need to be and he would tell her so.

"Yeah. The Alliance is the umbrella government for all extra-planetary colonies. On Earth, the umbrella government is called the United Nations, and its a lot more decentralized than the Alliance."

"You don't seem to find this arrangement beneficial?"

She combed a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm a Colonial. Whether I was born on the Citadel or not, on Earth I will always be a Collie. I get that. I get that I've never had a nation to feel allegiance to other than our common species, but to me it just seems regressive and dysfunctional."

"I would quite like it under this United Nations." She gave him an astonished look.

"But your galaxy is built on unity...and progress."

Ven shrugged easily. "My galaxy has had many different political iterations...but yes, most have been based around those ideals."

"I don't know why that surprises me, but I just thought the Jedi would be the opposite, you know; 'needs of the many outweigh the few'" she said imitating the voice of a character from a long running science fiction series from the twenty-first.

He shook his head with an open mouthed smile at this new side of her. "I'm afraid I don't know."

She waved him away with a quick laugh. "To be sure, my opinions are unique in the order. But that's not my point." .

He leaned forward and moved his cup out the way. "A long time ago in our own history, our government tried too hard to straddle the middle ground between centralization and confederation, and ended up serving neither...only corruption thrived. This corruption allowed a powerful Force user to take advantage of the dysfunction and launch a coup." Her eyes widened, but he continued without elaboration. "This Darksider went on to become a horrible dictator, committing mass genocide on a planetary scale and the like. So when he was overthrown, the will of the people was to form a loose knit confederation of systems called the New Republic ." She motioned with her hand for him to spit out the rest. "It would've been all my political beliefs made real...and I wouldn't want it back in a million years."

She barked a laugh at that. "That's what I mean! it's idealism, not realism."

He held up a hand for patience. "Pretty soon the discord created conflict amongst the systems until they couldn't agree on a system of time keeping, and an extra-planetary race of invaders called the Yuuzhan Vong took advantage of it and nearly wiped us out."

"I thought you didn't agree with me?" She mocked.

"My point is, these are my opinions. There must be room for representations of all opinions. We are entering another golden era because we have political bodies that cater to nearly every belief. To me, it sounds as though beings like you would have a home to your liking in the Alliance. While others who favor personal liberty over societal progress have a home on Earth."

They shared another hour together in the mess that gradually turned more serious. They talked about her feelings towards the mission her mother, father, and Jack while Ven mostly listened and offered advice where he could and by the end Ven had remembered why he had been trying to avoid being alone with Kaiden.

They waited half a day on the other side of the as yet unnamed relay before a Jedi cruiser materialized out of the artificial lightning storm.

"They left the ship?" Ashley said almost to herself.

"I'm sorry Councilor, I should've informed you. We believed expediency was-"

She stopped him with an apologetic gesture. "No, I wasn't questioning the decision, merely pointing it out...aloud."

The ramp lowered and Ven was lying if he said he was surprised to see Rand, back to make sure he didn't face the council alone if this mission went awry. He was surprised to see Gaedus Conn and Ondesa Diequr...walking with Nair. _How could she allow herself to be distracted this close to ascension?_ he felt more than a touch of exasperation with her until his eye caught Kaiden beside him and reminded him of his own hypocrisy. He was more surprised to see two more Imperial Knights; a gotal and a Pa'un. The furry horned alien is his tall apprentice with leathery gray skin fell into step behind the human pair. However, all the previous surprises paled to his shock at who walked off behind his Padawan. He wasn't the only one.

"Who is that?" Ashley asked from down the welcoming line.

"What is that?" Kaiden added.

Ven thought it easier to answer them together. "That is the Mand'alor."

His earlier frustration with Nair gone, it all lay with the auburn haired former Mandalorian now.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17: Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Mando'ade**

Mirdala Spaar was at once a terrifying, and captivating image; just over two meters in her base blue armor with gold trim and darker blue cape flowing off her back. The narrow T-visor of her helmet gave her a more predatory look than the multi-colored armored brethren offloading behind her. She was called Mand'alor the Fair by her people, and as far as Ven could tell it was a title well earned. Unlike Mand'alor's of the past, she commanded the Mandalorian free clans of Concord Dawn. Mandalor proper had moved on to become one of the Galactic Alliance's peaceful and developed systems. Despite their firm grasp on Mandalor's more antiquated and…violent traditions, Mirdala Spaar had formed an easy alliance with their peace loving cousins. Even going so far as to become a paramilitary force of the new Mandalore and at times their umbrella government, the Galactic Alliance of Free Systems.

Approaching the uneasy line, she passed her ceremonial Blade of Beginnings to a red armored Mando off her right shoulder and removed her helmet, cradling it under her arm. Kaiden's gasp beside him was just audible as she got her first look at a red-skinned Zabraki female. Even though they had never met, she made for Ven first. Whether it was the familiarity of his robes, or his face via holonews reports, he didn't know, but she reached out a forearm and he clasped it firmly with his hand before closing the same hand and rapping it on his upper chest as she did the same.

"Copaani gaan vode?" she asked in a voice that matched her imposing physique.

"That's not for me to say Manda'alor," he answered with a sideways look at Williams.

"Ahh…" the Mand'alor cocked her head before moving down to the Councilor.

"Try Basic yeah?" Ven nodded.

"We heard you could use a hand?" she repeated, leaving off the playful familiar.

To her credit, Ashley did nothing to placate the giant in front of her. The moment of silence grew uncomfortable before Rand Jonibe stepped around her former leader.

"Forgive me Councilor Williams. Nair left me with the impression that you needed discreet help. This is Mand'alor Mirdala Spaar. She is the leader of the system I grew up in. She is honorable, competent and most of all, can be trusted." The Mandalorian leader seemed to nod at all the right points in Rand's description.

Ashley glanced down at Ven. While he wasn't thrilled with Rand's presumptions they did need help and nothing she said was devoid of truth. He confirmed his sister's words with a look and Ashley turned back to face the Mand'alor.

"Welcome Mirdala Spaar. I am Councilor Ashley Williams of the Citadel Council…and I'm loathed to admit it but we need all the help we can get". Ashley took her forearm in her hand before moving her hand down to the large grip of the alien towering over her and performing their own greeting, which the newcomer easily modeled.

"It's good to meet you Councilor Ashley Williams…and me and my _Akaata_ will be all the help your people need."

"Not sure I understand your thoughts here" Ven risked as the Jedi cruiser entered the Alpha relay behind the _Normandy_.

Rand, who had ignored his pointed looks since he decided to travel with his "own people", continued her cold-shoulder. "Rand?"

Finally she broke her long glance at the nightly Mandalorian exuberance to look at her friend. "You know the Mandos, they could care less about the possibilities here, it's a job with a good enough motivation to take, and that's it. Plus we needed diversity-four of the six are non-human".

"I'm not talking about why you brought them here. All things equal, I agree with you. But you're a Jedi Knight now Rand. You've been on Tython since you were fifteen, yet you've never gotten over your attachment to them."

She started to protest. "You have always been quick to remind me of my flaws and failings…don't be blind to your own."

With that she swallowed her reply and turned back to the ever louder former comrades among her.

"This puts me in an awkward position." Ashley stated matter-of-factly from her position at the head of the ship's oak conference table.

"Politically, yes. Tactically, this is exactly what we need; a small strike force unknown to the Vanguard, and one that upends the perception this is us versus them" Kaiden answered, leaning into her words as she looked down the table at her mother.

"Maybe…but what do they want in return?"

"Credits."

"So mercs then?" Garrus asked from the other side of the table, his affinity for law and order upset by the presence of for-hire soldiers.

"Apparently they're more complicated than that…but the bottom line is; Ven trusts them, and I trust him…that should be enough." Kaiden answered as she traded sidelong glances with her mother.

They were approaching the Eagle Head Nebula when Ashley finally got through to the Council. The _Normandy's_ QEC, or Quantum Entanglement Communicator, made it appear as though she had never left the Citadel Tower.

"We have reason to believe the Vanguard will strike the Citadel on V-Day. We need to bring the home fleet back and bring in C-Sec," she said with as much persuasive force her seasoned voice could muster.

"What reason? Do you have evidence?" Councilor Tevos asked as Sparatus shifted uncomfortably.

Ashley thought long and hard about her next move. Lying to the Council could see her impeached. A proceeding even Tevos's continued backing couldn't dave her from. She decided on half truths. "We spoke to the Shadow Broker".

Tevos nodded thoughtfully and for a moment Ashley believed her word would be enough but then Sparatus asked, "and the broker told you the Vanguard would attack the Citadel?"

It was at moments like this Ashley deeply wished she was less honorable. Some people couldn't leave a job half finished. Ashley couldn't lie directly.

"Not exactly".

"Not exactly?"

"Their attacks have been growing in frequency and intensity. First it was small freighter transports. Then a small Alliance outpost. Now Eden Prime. They are tracing Shepherds steps. They see him as the moment humanity upset the natural order, and the V-Day dedication in front of his memorial on the Presidium is the next logical step".

"Logical maybe, but not practical" the Salarian councilor added. "You said it yourself, they have been stepping up their attacks in small increments. To go from a mid-size Alliance base on humanity's frontier to the capital of the galaxy is not an incremental jump."

"Which is exactly why they do it now. They know our statisticians and probability matrixes will be telling us to guard Bekenstein or another Alliance base closer in size to Eden Prime. But they don't have the resources or manpower to drag this out another year. They have to make their move now".

Councilor Tevos dismissed her with a wave. "We'll put C-Sec on alert, but the fleet stays on escort duty. The Hades Gamma is one of our last major rebuilding projects, and pirate attacks over the last year have slowed those efforts by eight percent."

"Those are primarily Salarian and Volus systems, the Councilor isn't concerned with that" Sparatus grumbled. Ashley couldn't help but notice what she took for the Salarian equivalent of an eye roll from Valen seated next to him.

"You go too far" Tevos reprimanded without any real sting, but Sparatus held up a hand in apology anyway. "Ashley I believe if you could separate yourself from your race you would see the Vanguard is a minor threat. Biotics across the galaxy have not flocked to their banner. There is no evidence to suggest the Vanguard is a graver threat than Major Kyle's cult on Presop".

"Forgive me Councilor but you have not faced them. They are not normal biotics. They have removed their implants yet grow in strength. The Jedi Knight believes they have used negative emotions to strengthen the mass effect fields they use an-"

"He believes what?" Sparatus barked with more than a hint of incredulity.

Tevos forestalled Ashley's response with a hand. "Ashley I will order C-Sec to construct a picket in the three days before V-Day".

"Thank you Councilor" Ashley offered. It was the literal least she could do for a colleague staking her reputation on the security of their capital, but she had done this long enough to know how to play the game. She needed allies right now.

"Don't thank me," Tevos reproached Ashley's hologram, as if reading her thoughts. "I cannot give you what you all you ask. Your actions, and especially those of SPECTRE Shepherd, only embolden the Vanguard. Calling home the fleet and putting them on alert only legitimizes these extremists as the major force they most certainly are not".

"They are a major force Councilor," Ash nearly cut her off. "The time for victories of perception is over."

Tevos appeared to consider addressing her decorum before offering a rueful shake of the head. "I'm sorry Ashley, but we disagree on that point."

Ash attempted an apology with a look before pressing on. "Forgive me, but you would feel differently if it were Asari colonies they were attacking."

"Exactly. They're not. Which means their anger, justified in some small sense I'm sure, is with the Alliance, not the Citadel." Sparatus grew more scornful with every word.

A good commander knew when to retreat and regroup. "I'm sorry to hear that is your decision. You are allowing them to divide us at a time when we need unity more than ever." She cut the feed before Sparatus could launch into another anti-human tirade. Thinking of him stammering in rage at being disconnected was the only solace she could take.

"You didn't tell them about the Force? About the Dark Side? They can't believe it unless their told by Ven." Kaiden was there to ask as she exited the QEC.

"Kaiden I'm not even sure I believe it yet" Ashley said, clearly exasperated with everything.

Esuna watched the odd looking vessel with the blue emblem that looked like the point of an old Justicar spear, arrive from the previously unknown relay from her hiding spot on the horizon of a dwarf moon orbiting an uncharted gas giant. The ship wasn't large enough to carry a normal force that should worry them, but it was more than enough if it was carrying more of the powerful biotics they faced on Grissom. The two ships left together. She wanted to follow some more but she couldn't be sure of the new ship's capabilities. Besides, she was overdue to tell Sol'nothea what she knew.

They arrived at Tuchanka with more fanfare than before. Despite their anger at being strung along by the Citadel, the Krogan were born warriors who had just been given a war.

"Just so there is no confusion, fighting here does not give your people rights here correct?" Ven said through a clenched jaw as he finally got Mirdala away from her guard.

"My people have rights everywhere Master Sala, it's where we choose to exercise them that concerns you. If we had designs on expansion we would've taken over the weak Galactic Alliance decades ago. You Jedi continue to conflate our battle culture with the war mongering of a Manda'lor long dead. Frankly, I grow tired of this association and the implied threats of the Jedi" the Zabrak answered closing the distance between the two of them.

"I confuse nothing Mand'alor. I voiced what I assumed to be true already, and you confirmed it. We are all a product of our association, and never forget what happened to the Mand'alor who damaged your people's reputation so."

Mirdala Spaar cracked the thinnest of smiles as Ven turned his back and walked away. A veiled threat that would've incensed most only made a Mandalorian smile. Yes they'll get on just fine on Tuchanka

Unlike the non-Mandalorian custom, in which underlings precede the leader, Mand'alor was the first to step off the ramp onto the soil of Tuchanka. As is Krogan custom, Wrex was there to make first contact himself…out in front of his guard with their snarling varren.

"Wrex, allow me to introduce Mirdala Spaar, Mand'alor of the Concord Dawn Clans."

Wrex huffed lightly out of his wide set nostrils. Spaar remained motionless.

Kaiden went on like nothing was amiss. "Mand'alor, this Urdnot Wrex, Chief of the Krogan Clans."

The two war leaders appraised each other for a grueling moment more before Mirdala, perhaps realizing she was the guest here, inclined her head almost imperceptibly. "I like your homeworld…it reminds me of…home."

Wrex cocked his head slightly. From anyone else in Citadel space, Wrex would've bristled at the obvious backhanded compliment, but somehow he knew the mercenary leader was referring to the still pockmarked walls and hazy, battle-scarred sky with admiration.

Likewise, Mirdala Spaar would never endure the barking laugh and back slap she received from the reptilian, but she had already accepted Wrex as a fellow war leader by the time they stalked off together discussing armor and weaponry.

Following their lead, the Mandalorians and Varren holding Krogan were exchanging arm shakes and thumps to each other's chest plates.

"You were right," Kaiden added to the raucous introductions out of the corner of her mouth.


	18. Chapter 18

**Concursion Ch. 18: Precise Confederates**

Kaiden hadn't really gotten over the contradictions in their new allies, as their ships sped through the interstellar medium near Sol. In the spirit of camaraderie, the Mand'alor and four of her commandoes had hitched a ride on the Normandy. They sat at the same mess table she and Ven had shared the other night...The Jedi continued to invade her thoughts unbidden, and it made her feel like some mewling schoolgirl.

She was watching the Mandalorians play a card game called Sabacc. To her it looked like a mix between poker and blackjack, but she couldn't understand it enough to sit in on a game. And she wouldn't sit in on a game until she understood it without help. In some ways the Mandalorians struck her as thug like and boorish. They seemed to value little outside a good time and a good fight. Except for each other of course. Their devotion to each other was beyond anything Kaiden had seen in the SPECTREs or even the Alliance. And that devotion crossed racial boundaries. Of the four currently playing, two were human, one was the same species as their leader, and one was a smooth headed blue skin alien with bulbous red eyes. Even more remarkable, the two that claimed to be brothers were the human and the tan skinned alien with a head of stubby horns. They had even looked at Kaiden with a mix of irritation and anger when she had abruptly laughed at that revelation as if it was a joke.

She didn't hear the slightest sound as Mirdala sidled up next to her. An incredible feat given her heavy suit of armor. "You don't care for games?"

"No…I mean, yes, I like cards."

Mirdala gave her a sideways glance. She wasn't an empress like the one the Grissom students had told her about meeting, but she had a regal bearing all the same. In fact, she had that same stoic confidence of the Jedi.

"Do you? Like games I mean?"

Mirdala added a soft smile to her look. "I do."

"Why don't you play? Mand'alor's have to remain above it or something"

"Not at all. If anything it's the opposite. But it has been a long trip and they need some time without me."

"Why are you here?" Kaiden asked abruptly. Now Mirdala turned fully and raised a hairless eyebrow.

"That sounded better in my head. I just mean, why come to another galaxy just to help us? It's not your fight." She tried a smile and was glad to see she got one in return. Kaiden Shepherd was a hard being by anyone's definition, but the Mand'alor made her feel like a raw recruit.

Mirdala turned back to the distant card game. "Every worthy fight is our fight…my people used to all live by the same code my Clans do now. But after a while many Mandalorians became ashamed of our perceived backwardness in the eyes of the rest of the galaxy. The warriors embarrassed them. They thought our traditions antiquated, regressive, and a dozen other adjectives they parroted from Coruscanti politicians…and so eventually they changed. Devoted themselves to pacifism and neutrality…so my clan, and others like us, left. We made a new home on a newly relinquished colony world and worked to keep our traditions alive. Some took it too far. They blamed the new leaders in Sundari."

"You didn't?" Kaiden asked, intrigued.

"No. I was disappointed to be sure, but I could never stay angry at my people. They were just doing what they thought was best for Mandalore."

"So what became of the ones who took it too far?"

"That's a story for another day. The point is, everytime we fight, we're fighting for Mandalore. A Mandalore we keep alive with our blood, our sweat, and our tears. Despite our differences I trust the Jedi. Even when they were foes they were honorable ones. If they say your enemies are of the dark then I believe them. And victory here is victory for a dying Mandalore."

Esuna approached her master cautiously. She always got edgy when a mission approached. Whether she was going or not, it didn't matter. She cared about her people, and it was that caring that would drive Esuna T'soni to walk through fire for her. But it wasn't just those that had pledged their allegiance to the Vanguard. She knew those that hadn't joined had simply been misled by a media run by corporations with a moneyed interest in a forced galactic unity. And the collective interests had manufactured their hero from a human imperialist with a chiseled jawline.

She waited patiently at Sol'nothea's back as she ran a plasma torch up and down a tool she had been working on in either design or execution since the battle at Grissom Academy. Finally, she cut the torch and lifted the goggles to her forehead. She grabbed the metallic looking cylinder off the workbench and turned to face her favored agent.

"Is it ready Primarch?"

The Justicar wore a fierce smile as she placed her thumb at the center of the device and it extended by two feet from either end. She twirled it before depressing another switch that projected a kinetic shield, a semi-oval on either side of the staff. She held the staff along her forearm and moved it up and down, the shields holding their integrity perfectly. She retracted the shields and flourished the staff again before a half foot curved blade extended from the just below the head of each end. Each razor sharp palladium blade affixed to a different side of the staff. She twirled the staff in front of her, and then over her head, before jumping and bringing the blade down on the steel bench, the damaged metal making an awful sound as she ripped the blade out of the now punctured half inch steel counter.

"You could say that."

"Elixir, anything?" Kaiden asked, her throat mic transmitting the question from her perch in the Presidium out into the Zakera Ward nightspot.

"Nothing….still," the voice added a moment later, no doubt a reflection on their annoyance at being asked so often. But Victory Day celebrations were to begin in an hour, and four days of surveillance had elicited nothing so much as a scanned face marked questionable. She was getting flashes of the Mandalorians, currently waiting in the rafters throughout the Wards, yawning from boredom or making jokes about the melodramatic beings of this galaxy.

 _Was I wrong? Are they on their way to Armstrong as we sit here?_ Kaiden was becoming annoyed at how persistently she was questioning herself. But she had been so sure, and her mother and everyone had staked a lot on her being right. Even the Jedi had agreed, stating her confidence could be born of a Force premonition. Force or not, C-Sec had mostly given up on uncovering the plot and had gone back to chasing the run of the mill crime usually associated with this weekend. They had even stopped their periodic check-ins since early yesterday. That's why it was a double surprise when her comm flashed 'Tayseri Spaceport C-Sec'.

"Go ahead," she said, steeling herself against another invitation to come by later and have some beer and finger foods.

"We got a hit ma'am," a young male voice answered.

Kaiden snapped up. "Who is it?"

"I-it's a Batarian named Epronis Brogsahal," he answered cautiously.

"Brogsahal? Never heard of him? You got him in customs?" Her voice leaving no doubt about how she would deal with a prank right now.

"No ma'am. Facial recognition just picked _her_ up at the Silver Coast Casino".

Kaiden started walking but the location slowed her step.

"Casino? She throwing craps or at the Quasar machines?"

"Neither ma'am. She came out of a back door marked personnel at a full run, looked around and then ran out an emergency exit".

Her walk became a trot at 'full run'. And by the time she got to 'emergency exit' Kaiden had burst into a full run herself.

"What's your name agent?" she said in between breaths.

"Wh…Iliescu ma'am, Marcus," he managed, with some pride she noticed.

"Alright, well listen Marcus Iliescu, if this is a prank, I won't give a shit if you were put up to it by a superior or not, I will happily take another indefinite suspension for you. Understand?"

"No ma'am, I mean yes ma'am I understand. But this is no joke. My superior has ordered a FRU team to Silversun Strip. They'll meet you in front of the Castle Arcade."

He finished with some bite. So he had some backbone, always an admirable quality. "Then good work Marcus. Shepherd out."

Ven and Nair, each wearing the more culturally appropriate outfit of jacket and pants for the human and leather one piece and cloak for the Twi'lek, met her first entering the ward. Ten minutes later the three of them were evenly spaced moving quickly down Silversun Strip.

"Garrus?" she said through unmoving lips.

"In position. Nothing on my scope."

She nodded across the streams of beings at Ven, who she could see utter a few words before giving her a subtle shake. _Damn all these eyes up top and nobody has anything? Was it a spurious reading? What is she running from? Something must have spooked her to run into view of sec feeds._ Kaiden didn't feel right about this but they didn't have the luxury of passing up leads right now.

"Wait one," Garrus breathed and she had to remind herself to keep walking naturally. "Yep, got her. She just busted out the side of Armax and is moving down the alley towards Zenosa Flyers."

"Where!?" she barked and Ven and Nair immediately converged on her.

"Your three o'clock, heading away. If I got the shot-"

"-don't take it!" Kaiden yelled as she motioned for the Jedi to follow. "We need to know what she's up to."

"Got it".

They ran down a parallel alley to Armax. Ven shouted into his comm as they moved down the alley and out onto a commercial boulevard.

The crowd had thinned dramatically and Kaiden got her first look at the back of the rebel leader. "Epronis!"

She slowed down and turned. The aliens four eyes bulged as much as their tiny sockets would allow and she broke into a run again, bowling over pedestrians as she did. The three gave chase. _What is she doing? Why is she alone?_ She didn't have time to ponder as a blur of gray and orange dashed past their field of vision, and whisking the Batarian away as cleanly as a cloaking shield. Ven slowed and pointed and Kaiden looked up to see her first Mandalorian jet pack in action. The gray and red armored Mandalorian circled back around and dropped the flailing reptilian at her feet from ten meters up before landing behind her. The small number of civilians scattered as the rest of the Mandalorians, Rand included, dropped from above one by one, never breaking their stride as they walked calmly up to the group and their comrade.

Eronis was grabbing her ankle and while her face held a look of disappointment there was definitely no fear to be found. She reached down and grabbed her by the jacket collar, but as she pulled her up the alien began a throaty laugh that blew a wave of noxious breath into her face. Batarian scent was generally not considered agreeable to humans but this was something else, and Kaiden knew she was ouot of time.

"Where is she!?" she shook her harder as pedestrians gasped and began calling C-Sec undoubtedly. "What's the plan!?"

The laugh continued as her arms began to convulse by her sides. "too late," was all she said before her eyes began to roll backwards a sick yellow bile ran from her mouth.

"A distraction," Kaiden almost sighed as she lowered the dying Batarian to the ground. "From what?" Mirdala asked sternly.

Kaiden stood and began moving back down the boulevard towards the approaching C-Sec shuttles. "She wanted us away from the Presidium."

"But this would only cause a lockdown of all sensitive areas wouldn't it?" Nair asked.

Kaiden shook her head as the officers approached on foot. "I don't know her plan. I only know she has one, and it involves getting me and the Jedi away from the Presidium."

Ashley, monitoring the C-Sec band moved quickly up the gradual incline of the Embassies corridor towards the Asari Consolate.

"I'd feel a lot better if we went straight for the Keep," James said as he tried to keep up with his wife's pace.

"I have a feeling that won't matter," she answered mostly to herself.

The Asari commandoes saluted and one waved her hand in front of a reader, the door slid open to reveal a typical Embassies party; soft music, clinking glasses, and polite conversation. Tevos turned to find the eyes of the newcomer.

"She's here," Ashley barked as she strode across the room. The conversation stirred and Tevos held out a patient hand to her guests.

The blue and black uniformed agents slowed their run as they approached the group.

"Target was a decoy. We need to get back to the Presidium now!"

The lead agent, a Salarian with a lightening skin color that hinted at an advanced age of probably thirty, wasted no time with questions and simply began barking orders at the agents around him to get back to the shuttles. A young female human off to the side began speaking into her wrist comm. She was one of many receiving or giving directions through their comm, but something about her didn't seem right. She was just about to ask the Salarian commander next to her who she was when she head "look out!" the sound was punctuated by the feeling of being hit in the back by a slow moving shuttle. She heard a _crack!_ As she tumbled forward followed by a cry.

Hon Krec and Tion Blom stood in front of the Embassies help desk facing one of this station's many holographic help systems. Krec especially had been thrilled upon hearing their assignment. He had never had a choice of joining the Imperial Knights. That decision had been made by his parents when he was barely more than an infant. But he didn't think he could've asked for anything greater. The chance to travel the galaxy as a servant of the Grand Imperial Republic was the greatest honor a being could hope for in his opinion. And now, the be asked to represent his empress in another galaxy entirely was something else. So excited he was that he hadn't felt a touch of a discouragement when told he an Blom would be on guard duty, tasked with guarding the Embassies while the others hunted down these Darksiders threatening this galaxy with a civil and racial war.

Even the ageless Blom's incessant complaining at their underutilization could not dampen his spirits. His good spirits must've shown on his face as he caught a spike of emotion from the desk behind him and turned his head to see a beauty like no other suppress a warm laugh. She was giving off such heavy emotions it was tough for his empathic cones to focus in on what they were exactly…lust? Krec swallowed audibly as he nodded as Blom's latest comment. He wasn't used to amorous advances from humanoids in general. Especially humanoids that looked like her. His duty called and he made a mental mind clearance and refocused on his friend. Hon was still trying to catch up with Tion when a sound like a hard fruit being smashed was followed by the tall Pau'an falling forward into his arms. Before Hon could see the hole in the back of his head his white lightsaber was out and he deflected a shot from a balcony high across the Presidium's artificial lake. He kept his blade out as he grabbed his comm. He got another spike of emotion, this time it was clear, and he realized it at the same time he felt a cold invasion into his lower back. The protrusion twisted and he dropped both his lightsaber and his comm as he leaned back into the warm, feminine body that burned with hatred for him.

Ven had sensed a disturbance in the Force since they arrived on the Citadel. He had tried to speak to Kaiden about it days ago, but her understanding of the Force was still so rudimentary she didn't trust it fully. But Nair had, so had Caedus and Onodesa before they went out with a C-Sec interdictor to investigate incoming vessels. The danger was already here, and to Ven that meant only one thing; collaborators. But he hadn't sensed any Force presence on the station and Kaiden assured him there were no unregistered biotics in sensitive positions. But as the Salarian C-Sec agent nodded surreptiously at orders being relayed through an ear piece, Ven knew they had been looking at this from the wrong angle.

He projected a light Force push, knocking Kaiden and the C-Sec commander out of the way of the round meant for her. The old saying 'blaster bolts don't take names first' was just as true here, as the supercharged projectile tore through the limb of a black haired female beside them. The Salarian looked at Ven in utter disbelief, before turning her cannon on him. In one smooth motion he called his saber to his hand, ignited it in mid swing just under his hands. The blue streak flashed in front of him, and the weapon dropped to the ground, two twitching hands still attached to it. The Salarians looked turned to slowly dawning horror before Ven side kicked him in the chest, sending the traitor flying backwards into an advertisement holo-glass board.

"Can we discuss this in private please?" Tevos asked through clinched teeth.

"We don't have time for that. We need to head to the Keep. This is why it was built." Ashley answered, still loud enough for everyone to hear.

"You're overreacting Ashley," Tevos said, trying to take Ashley by the arm and guide her back to the door. "Even if it is her, there is no evidence of any approaching Vanguard force. C-Sec will deal with her. If not, her mere presence will trigger a lockdown."

"That won't matter much," came a new voice, followed by the artificial sound of a charged power pack. Tevos whirled towards the voice of her assistant, Usia Sanubis, only to find herself stating down the barrel of a Stiletto X.

"Usia! What are you doing!?" Tevos made a valiant or foolish attempt to wrest the pistol from her secretary, but the young Asari was more competent than nervous and she wrenched the pistol away before whipping the butt across her face.

James used the moment and reached for his own Pinnacle. "Don't!...try it" came another voice that stopped James' hand at the top of his holster. He looked up to see a Turian general named Genegatus pointing a hand cannon at his face.

"Drop your hand Vega," the elderly Turian commander said before taking his place beside Usia.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Onodesa Diequr was having trouble keeping his mind on the task at hand. Stuffed on to a small picket ship at the mouth of this galaxy's artificial capital, he and his Master Gaedus Conn were attempting to supplement the security inspection teams by using the Force to sense these… _biotics._ But after days of inactivity his mind kept wandering back to Nair. Looking at the two pilots playing games on their datapads it was clear he wasn't the only bored crewman. Suddenly his white haired mentor was beside him.

"Stay alert Ono, I sense a disturbance." He almost muttered the proclamation under his breath but Onodesa noticed the ship's co-pilot turn towards the red armored pair.

"From a ship?" the Turian asked looking at a far off spec moving in to the picket zone but still ten minutes out.

"No, from the station". It was well known among the Imperial Knights that their Force senses were not as attuned as the Jedi, but his master was the exception to that rule. His Imperial Knight parentage meant he wasn't beholden to the midi-chlorian count stipulated under the Treaty of Fondor.

As they were talking, the co-pilot, an amphibious alien called a Drell named Raes, set down his pad and got up, walking between them.

"Officer?" Caedus acknowledged without accusation, but events in the Force felt as though they were spiraling.

"I'm just going to relieve myself before this new batch of ships arrive," he said without making eye contact.

Gaedus had seen enough. He pulled his comlink from his belt and keyed Venn Sala's preset. "Master Sala, this is Master Conn, I sense a disturbance, is everything alright?"

Onodesa could see the Lieutenant's large black eyes shift quickly to the Knights, and then past to the corridor behind. He then put on an air of disinterest and went back to his game.

"Master Conn-" Onodesa was fully focused on Lieutenant Taneda's knuckles as they tensed around the edge of his datapad. "-they're a-" Master Sala's voice cut off with an audible whine from the ship as the overhead lights and instrument panel went dark, as did the screen lighting the not too surprised face of Taneda.

"-lready here, on station. They have inside help. Trust no one from C-Sec…and as much as I hate to say it, especially non-human agents." Venn listened for a reply as they hustled down an alley at the north end of the Ward, but heard nothing. There was no static indicating a poor signal, it was just dead. There was nothing he could do for the Imperial Knights now and they had pressing problems of their own.

"Turn here!" Kaiden shouted and the group ran through the front doors of a spa. Inside, steam and Asari women in various states of undress, and seemingly high on narcotics, clung to the intruders as they made their way upstairs. Ven, Rand, and Nair politely brushed by while Kaiden and the Mand'alor had no problem shouldering through the "comfort women". Some of the Mand'alor's men did not seem to share their leader's disgust at the submissive females before them.

"Stay. Don't go," came the drug addled pleas.

"What are you doing in here?" followed by curses in various languages came the cries of their human, Batarian, and Turian customers.

Garrus stopped running down the hall long enough to stare at a Turian customer who came out of his suite to investigate the commotion.

"Garrus!"

"Sorry Shepherd, I think he's from my clan," the Turian half chuckled as he caught up.

"Where are we going Kaiden?" Ven asked, still unable to use surnames as everyone else in this galaxy seemed to.

She kicked open the locked back door and pointed across the small pedwalk at a shuttle stand.

"What if they have the Presidium checkpoint?" Garrus asked.

Kaiden shook her head, disbelieving. "They can't. This conspiracy cannot go that far. There's simply not enough biotics on station that would follow them."

"Yeah but there might be enough aliens," Garrus warned looking pointedly at Ven.

"I won't believe that until I see it. I got to get to my mother and the rest of the Council," she answered as they ambled down the establishment's back steps.

"Careful" Ven warned as he pushed Garrus ahead of him. Nair stopped with him. Kaiden stopped and looked back. "Go, get a shuttle," he called, snapping his lightsaber off his belt. The first C-Sec officers rounded the building next to the Asari spa a moment later. There were a noticeable number of human agents among them.

"Got 'em, the shuttle stand behind Keistea's" one called into a throat mic.

The snap-hiss of igniting lightsabers combined with the eruption of jet packs sent the handful of pedestrians scrambling for shelter. The shots came thick and fast. Two of the Mandalorians spread out in opposite directions, spitting blue and red superheated plasma with their alien blasters. Another of their comrades fired himself to the top of a nightclub advertisement board and began picking off officers moving down the pedwalk.

Ven cringed as he saw two drop. There was simply no way to tell which officer's were Vanguard conspirators. After the initial attack back on the Strip, they could've told legitimate responding officers anything they wanted.

"Mirdala, get your people to a shuttle. We can hold them."

She nodded her blue and gold helmet and a moment later the Mandos began abandoning their positions and running for the shuttle stand, firing as they went. Mirdala however, didn't move.

"Mand'alor, you-"

"-Not a chance Jedi" she answered with a sneer as she twirled her staff in her left hand.

Ven knew she was an immovable object at this moment. "Then try to avoid fatalities. These officers may not all be conspirators."

He thought he heard an exasperated sigh, but the gunfire was too close now. Mirdala unholstered her own hand blaster and began sending shots down range. Officers fell clutching knees and shoulders.

Looking over, he saw Kaiden get a blue flyer in the air. He nodded to his Padawan, "alright Nair, now you."

She gave him a defiant look but soon wilted under his own stare.

The first group of officers got close enough to pull stun batons and came at Mirdala. Ven continued to deflect shots coming from officer's down at the other end now, as Mirdala holstered her own blaster and swept the legs out of the first attacker. Without slowing she brought her staff around and planted it into the concrete, using the leverage to drive her up into the air and over the head of the next attacker. But she didn't forget her staff as she brought it across the larynx of the human woman underneath her. She landed in a cartwheel and brought the staff over her head and down to knock the stun club out of the hands of the next agent before planting a Mandalorian boot into his solar plexus and sending him through a glass directional holo. Suddenly a flyer was hovering over her and she looked up to see one of her men, Mesh-la, firing from the passenger side as another, Osik, reached a hand down for her. She took it reluctantly and was quickly pulled on board as the flyer peeled away, shots thumping at its kinetic shields as it did. She turned in the backseat to see Ven jump ten meters into his waiting ride. Rand was the last to go. Deflecting shots until she launched her jet pack into the skyway, climbing into the moving speeder as they weaved through the heavy celebratory traffic towards the Presidium.

Usia and Genegatus hadn't said a word to them, but had said plenty in front of them. Clearly they felt confident enough about their position to communicate openly about stations and checkpoints under their control. It was clear this has been in the works for a long time. It dawned on Ashley that possibly everything the Vanguard had done may have been to facilitate this attack. Her messages clearly targeting both biotics and aliens angry and fearful over the galaxy's new order. Even their mercy shown to Alliance soldiers who had surrendered on Bekenstein and Sirona was a display of their moral superiority to the Citadel's new guard dog. It all began to make sense now.

They got onto the Tower lift and the capsule lifted off, revealing a now mostly empty Presidium. "Her I get. Some underpaid bartender serving human elites all day, but you Ponus? We've worked together" James sneered.

Ashley attempted to grab his arm and restrain him but he pulled away. He couldn't know she was trying to restrain him so as not to give that pompous bigot the opportunity to gloat, not to protect him from physical harm.

The Turian sneered but his eyes held a look of regret. "And we could've gone on that way had your people not awoken the Reapers".

"Ah you can't believe that bullshit conspiracy theory? I take it Saren and Benezia were actors?" James started to turn behind him but was shoved roughly in the back.

"They were manipulated Vega. Something your kind excel at".

"I don't believe you believe that" James shook his head, disgusted.

"Either way, the Reapers were a blessing for one race in the galaxy…the race that just arrived" he said after a pregnant pause.

"They were a blessing for no one. Earth has incurred the majority of the co-"

"-Shut it!" Usia snapped as she struck her in the left side of her face with the butt of her pistol.

James made a move for Usia but Genegatus pressed his pistol into her husband's temple. "Try it again".

Ashley flexed her jaw as the ringing in her ear subsided. She focused on breathing to keep her temper from causing her to do something suicidal. It only helped so much. Ten more seconds in this box and she was going to make a move. The elevator dinged at the count of eight. _Lucky bastards_ she thought as they were roughly shoved out the door.

The comm went dead along with the ship's runner lights and the instrumentation. Gaedus said nothing. He only looked at Onodesa and nodded slightly. Onodesa understood the unspoken command and turned to head back through the cockpit gangway. Behind him he heard Taneda cursing up a storm and slapping some panels. Trying to put on a good show.

Up ahead Onodesa saw a dark skinned human security officer stick his head out of the ship's barracks.

"Hey!" Onodesa could tell he had expected to see one of his comrades, and still wasn't sure how to address these alien humans. "You know what's happening…Knight Diequr?" he managed after an awkward moment.

"Do you?" The officer, a Sargent Biya if he remembered correctly, shook his head in confusion. Onodesa felt for his mind through the Force, but it was more intuition than anything that told him the human was not in on the conspiracy.

"Power's out. Have you seen Officer Raes?"

"Powers out? That doesn't ma-"

"-Drolto Raes? Have you seen him?" Onodesa cut him off, his Force sense flaring with warning.

Biya shook his head again. "What's going on man?"

"Raes and Taneda are working with the Vanguard, grab arms and one man and come with me, send the other two to the cockpit."

Biya looked as if he wanted to dispute the accusation, but his sense of duty kicked in and he nodded before quickly ducking back into the room.

Onodesa walked gingerly across the corridor to the small one table med clinic as he waited for Biya. It was dark but brightened as he approached. As he gave the small room a once over he heard a loud clang above him that sounded like it came from ventilation. Suddenly a coolness blew over him and he wondered if the ship's systems were back up, until a smell that reminded him of mint and antiseptic hit him with a burn that ran up his nostrils and through his sinuses. _Damn it!_ He turned and ran back for the barracks when he heard a gagging cough followed by a crash.

Gaedus walked up silently behind the theatrically hysterical Lieutenant. "Did they teach you that at the academy Lieutenant?"

The young Turian turned and jumped a little at the intimidating warrior's closeness. "Teach what?"

"To slap randomly at dead switches during a power failure?" he motioned towards the panel and took another step towards the alien, who backed up in kind.

He grimaced slightly before waving at the instruments next to him and turning around. "Just panicked I guess….got a squad of ships coming in and this is never happened before."

"I'm sure of that," Gaedus said, clasping his hands behind his back and moving a little closer still.

Taneda turned around and tried to worm past the Imperial Knight. "You mind?"

Gaedus didn't move but he wormed by him anyway and walked to an overhead compartment. "I actually do have some tools in here that will give us a chance to-"

A _thhrruummm_ echoed through the cockpit. "Drop it," he ordered.

Taneda turned around with the hand cannon Gaedus knew he had, but he had one other thing; a mask held up to his face as he began to fire. As he deflected the first shot he heard a muffled cry from the down the corridor.

Onodesa held his breath and called on the Force as he ran from the horrific scene in the barracks. His mind and heart were at war. He could hear his master's lightsaber, the gunshots as he pounded down the steel girder corridor, but he could also sense his master telling him to find Raes, and so he ran toward the stern, and after the breath mask he was sure to have on.

"How many?" Kaiden yelled as she scrolled quickly on the flyer's manual holo-board, jerking the small passenger ship around another of its kind but operated by the law abiding automatic pilot.

"Three…scratch that, four" Garrus announced with a note of worry.

"We just have to get to the Presidium…there's no way they have control of that," she said, but her eyes belied her confidence.

In the blue flyer in front of them, the vertical doors opened and a Mandalorian came flying out of each side like wasps leaving a nest. In a flash of orange and gray they were back by the lead C-Sec flyer, well placed shots sending the vehicle into the pedwalk below. The following flyers no longer cared about the protocol of opening fire amongst civilians, and fire swarmed the flying Mandalorians. Facing this new threat, Osik and Mesh'la, fired their thrusters and peeled off to the west, the back flyer peeling off with them and giving pursuit.

Their brazen act had been enough to put the necessary distance between the chasers and the chased, and now just ahead on the horizon they could see the checkpoint into the Presidium.

"Commander Shepherd is that you?" came a squawking voice over the flyer's com system.

"Yes" Kaiden answered a little tentively.

"This is Captain Oczan, we got major problems in here." Kaiden could just now see the rectangular shield the skylane funneled into, as well as the adjoining C-Sec skybox.

"The pursuers have broken off Shepherd" Garrus sounded as perplexed as he did relieved.

"No speed up, get out of here!" Ven squeezed her shoulder from the seat behind her.

"What? Their with us" Kaiden said as she locked eyes with the brown skin man in the box.

"Trust me Kaiden, turn around and burn". She locked eyes with the Jedi in the backseat cam, twisted the holographic knob and fingered the acceleration bar. She looked into the rear cam as sharp thuds set off the flyer's built in alert system, only to see Captain Oczan slumped over as an Asari and Salarian agent were firing from the checkpoint balcony.

"What now?" Garrus asked with a resigned laugh.

Ven shook his head at Garrus before looking to his Padawan. Nair had been sitting quietly in the front since they approached the Presidium checkpoint. He touched her arm and she responded by grabbing his hand lightly. Her look told him all he needed to know.

"Kaiden, we need to head to the docks" Nair said turning in her seat.

"What? Why? We can't leave…not now," she stated with a firm shake.

"No. We're not leaving, but we need to meet with the Imperial Knights…they have a plan."

"How do you kno-"

"Look out!" Ven yelled.

Kaiden let her steadily developing Force sense take over, veering the flyer down as one of the pursuit vehicles that had broken off minutes earlier flew just over the hood of their now dinged up flyer, scraping more of its red paint off as it did. The C-Sec vehicle changed course abruptly as it T-boned a flyer in the parallel lane before spinning out of control into an Avina kiosk a level below. She looked sharply at Nair, who was still staring at her as if they hadn't just nearly been killed. "Trust me now…get us to the docks".

Kaiden relented with an adrenalin laced sigh. "Alright, which one? There's a lot of docks."

"Just fly towards them, I'll know when we get close." Nair turned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

Kaiden still didn't understand these Force premonitions, but she had seen too much now to discount it. Making sure the Mandalorians could turn their unfamiliar vehicle around, she maxed out the flyer's throttle as the second pursuit vehicle fell into the stream of traffic behind them.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Onodesa got to Raes maybe a minute before his Force powered lungs would give out, finding the stream of polonium gas being filtered through the ship's ventilation and tracing it back to the ship's fusion core where he found the cowardly traitor huddled in the discharge shaft just before that minute was up. Even though they weren't beholden to the same code as the Jedi it wouldn't serve the balance or the Empress to let Raes die clawing his eyes out, even if he had let his own comrades die in the same fashion. Instead he dragged him out and forced him to reveal where he had planted the EMP. He returned down the lit main corridor minutes later to find his master at the pilot's chair, Lieutenant Taneda gripping the stump below his right elbow, shock and hyperventilation obvious to any species features.

"What's the plan Master?" he asked stepping by the injured cultist.

"They have something close to the equivalent of a bacta-patch on the wall over there, grab one and give it to Lieutenant Taneda".

"This Me-di…gel?" Onodosa sounded at the words on the container.

"That's it. Some ships passed through the checkpoint just before the EMP went off. I aim to find them."

Ono bent down in front of the Turian and attempted to pry the alien's fingers off his wound, but got cursed at in an unknown language for his trouble. This time he pried the bony digit back as far as it would go and the he relented with a gasp, revealing the tell-tale damage of a lightsaber.

"I think we're too far behind that nexu Master, I have a suggestion," he said as he applied the painkilling and healing adhesive.

Gaedus turned in his seat as the ship's sublight engine came alive. "By all means, let's hear it," he said with his trademark half grin.

"Hey kid…kid!" Garrus shook his head at Ven next to him as he looked at Nair.

"Her name is Nair, and she's trying to find us a way out of this mess". His words were punctuated by a thud against the flyer's stern as the C-Sec vehicle had now opened fire, causing traffic to fall away like leaves in a gale.

"Well, can Nair help us from back here?" he patted the sniper rifle between his legs.

Ven leaned forward and grabbed the twi'lek's shoulder, her eyes snapped open with the genuine surprise of being forced out of a Force meditation. But after an initial look of annoyance she climbed into the back as Garrus climbed into the front. The maneuver made all the more awkward by Kaiden's rapid shifts within the sky lane.

Their actions in concert with each other would've been admirable for any pair of Force-linked Jedi, let alone one Force sensitive with little training. With a simple nod, Kaiden allowed the C-Sec flyer to get right on their six before dropping down and throwing the ship into reverse, while at the same time throttling forward and thumbing down the holographic stick, bringing their dented, and now smoking flyer, up fifty yards behind the C-Sec flyer. Garrus, who had been readying his shot half hanging out the window despite the high inertia, unleashed two slugs from his high powered rifle into the back of the blue and white flyer. A plume of bluish smoke erupted from the back grill and the ship plummeted to into the shallow chasm below.

Garrus pulled himself back inside the vehicle and thumbed the window. Kaiden shot him a raised eyebrow and the turian shrugged, eliciting a sly smile from the human beside him. Despite it all, Ven smiled broadly himself and looked to his Padawan beside him to see if she had seen what happened, but found her still in deep meditation. That aloofness lasted just a moment as her eyes bolted open and she shot forward to lean between the front seats.

"It's a small dock and has a B-11 over the bay door, do you know it?"

Kaiden looked at her briefly in the mirror and then answered by taking a hard left. "Ven com the Mand'alor tell them to hit auto-destination and say Vessana Docks B-11".

"We may need to pile in with them after that move you pulled," Garrus teased.

"I'll be gentle from here on in" she said, patting the dashboard.

They did make it to the Vessana Docks in the half speed flyer, even beating the Mandos autopiloted flyer to the second of three cargo docks located on this ward. Waiting for them outside the Alliance light cruiser were a tense and even angry looking pair in red armor. _So they don't share the Jedi's stoicism._ Kaiden hadn't spent much time with the Imperial Knights, but they were far easier to understand. She could relate to having a tangible duty given by a living being, whether that being was an empress or not.

Nair broke into a short run as she saw the younger knight before falling into an awkward embrace that ended even more awkwardly as Ven, Rand, and the others caught up to them. The Mand'alor's last bodyguard shrugged at Ven. "Mesh-la didn't make it. Osik has lost his pursuit and will join us soon."

"I'm sorry," Ven intoned solemnly and both Mandalorians grunted their acknowledgement.

"I have no doubt it was a good death," Mirdala removed her helmet for the first time since the fighting started.

"Yes, I'm sure it was," Ven agreed with feeling that would probably be frowned upon by some of the more conservative of his order. Rand nodded imperceptibly her thanks at his acceptance of Mandalorian customs.

"We had Vanguard on our picket" the white haired knight said, ignoring both the budding romance and the solemn condolences.

"It wasn't just on the picket. They had people in place throughout the station…they must've been planning this for months if not years," Ven answered as he locked arms with his counterpart.

"Some ships passed through unchecked right as a hidden EMP went off, there can be no doubting who it was".

"No doubt," Ven agreed.

"So Nair said you had a plan?" Kaiden asked clearly impatient.

The two knights looked at each and the older one nodded to the younger. "This large spire" Onodesa said pointing to the Citadel tower in the distance, "is where your mother and the rest of the Council meet?"

Ashley and the other councilors had been moved to their council rostrum, and that was where they had stood in near silence for the past half an hour. Eventually new guards arrived, one or two in C-Sec uniforms and the other four in civilian clothes. Ashley could only fume silently at the depth and scope of this betrayal. Finally commotion in the form of com chatter and guards straightening their posture, signaled the arrival of Sol'nothea, her iconic scalp cresting the last flight of steps. A krogan and another Asari flanked her.

In her late seven hundreds she still had the physique to rival Kaiden's. She wore a white leather one piece suit with a gold head band. Ash also noticed some kind of staff like weapon on her back.

She walked to the edge of the Petitioner Balcony. Ash was beginning to wonder as to the point of this show before the yellow hover cam materialized off to the left.

"You all know me as Sol'nothea; fomer Justicar and leader of the Vanguard. But what you may not know is what we are the Vanguard of. We are the dawn of awakening. The blaring alarm that shakes the orginal denizens of this galaxy out of their complacent slumber. The force that rocks those censored by the constraints of polite society and-"

"-Get on with it! I would rather be-"

"-Silence her!" Ashley felt a rifle butt to the back of her head before she was grabbed and gagged.

Despite the pain and anger, the fact she could see Sol'nothea had lost her moment, made it all worth it.

"We are your Vanguard. The humans had the incredible fortune of being the only Citadel race not to have their fleet decimated by the Reapers. They have turned that fortune into an unchecked position of military and political power. None of us should have so much power over the rest. Especially not some primitive upstarts who have shown a predilection towards conquest."

The Asari next to her held a finger to her ear to listen to a report before flashing a look at her leader. The signal was clear, _hurry up._ "What I do now may seem extreme. But only to those without the foresight or the selflessness to see past their own today."

Sol'nothea made a show of about facing to the rostrum at her left. The hovercam following her every move. "Councilor Valern. I petition you to vote Yes on expelling the humans from the Citadel…and using the station's counter measure to render their fleet no further danger to us".

If Valern had a human nose he would've looked down it at her. Instead he lifted an accusing finger and said "I vote no".

Sol'nothea for her part didn't blink. "I am sorry to hear that".

Ashley knew what was coming but was still jolted when the sound of hand cannon discharged just behind Valern's head.

Ashley head Tevos cry out as she pressed forward again. "You bastard!"

Instead of hitting her, her new Batarian guard simply locked her arms behind her back.

"As luck would have it, we have a ready replacement". A female Salarian callously stepped over own kind, and straightened her back in a shallow attempt to mimic a true elector about to give their oath. One of the guards pulled the Councilor's key off a Valern's neck and handed it to the traitorous Salarian now standing in his position.

"Councilor Esheel, I ask you to vote Yes to my previously stated petition".

"I do…vote Yes that is" the hooded alien said as she input the simple key into Valern's rostrum.

Sol'nothea gave an exaggerated nod of thanks and moved her gaze to Tevos's rostrum. "Councilor Tevos" she smiled fiercely. "Do I even have to ask the great puppet of Earth?"

"Tevos, just give her what she wants, give us time" Sol'nothea pointed at her and she was slammed down into the rostrum.

The blow cut her head as she could see the tinge of red fill her eye as the Batarian held her face against the rostrum's vid screen. Even with the sanguine obfuscation she could still see Tevos's act of bravery as she told Sol'nothea she didn't need to waste her time, and then closed her eyes before mouthing a quiet prayer to the goddess, never to open them again. Again another Asari was ready to replace Tevos and sign on with her planned genocide.

One of the stipulations upon admitting Ashley to the Council was that the previously unanimous consensus for passage was trimmed down to a simple majority. Access to the station's full capabilities now rested with Sparatus. Strangely enough there was no ready Turian standing just off his shoulder.

"Councilor Sparatus, for years you have seen the threat posed by the humans but haven't had the chance to act. At least I hope you haven't had the chance and it wasn't your courage that faltered. Either way, now is that chance to preserve the security of the indigenous inhabitants of the Citadel. I ask you to vote Yes to expel these would be conquerors," she pointed dramatically at Ashley who had just been ripped back from the podium, "and use our last defensive measure to bring parity back to the galaxy".

Sparatus looked at Ashley and she made a point of staring back as hard as she could under the circumstances. "Go ahead Sparatus, it's what you always wanted" she spat.

The painted Turian gave her a rueful shake of the head. "No it isn't" his voice was barely audible.

"What was that?" Sol'nothea demanded.

Sparatus turned back to their tormentor. "I said no…this isn't what I wanted. I warned of the threat of humans becoming too powerful because I believed the rest of the galaxy was giving them more than enough accolades. And while the size of their fleet and the destruction of my own pains me and sometimes worries me, they have done nothing but fight for the whole good of the galax-"

"-enough of this!" she snapped.

But Sparatus continued undeterred. "-Even against their own extremists!"

Ashley saw the Carnifax M6 rise to the back of the Turians head and she yelled as loud as she could at the galaxy. Then, as if the galaxy heard her, a loud crash erupted behind them. The sound was snuffed out as quickly as it began as the air in the room began its rapid escape from the room. Just seconds passed before sound returned to the room and a darkness descended upon it. Her handler had spun around to find its source and took her with him. Behind them she could see an Alliance picket in the fountain garden below and behind the Councilor platform. It's ramp descending even as it slid to a stop.

The security barrier had gone up in place of the destroyed plasma viewport. But the soft interior lighting was complimented by a cadre of blue, green, and white laser swords that leapt from the back of the expensive battering ram.

"Execute them!" Sol'nothea yelled as she drew a staffed weapon and her own blaster and backed down Petitioner's Walk, her retinue surrounding her.

Ashley used the commotion and the Batarian's loosened grip to her advantage, planting an elbow as hard as she could into the alien's midsection. He _whoofed!_ As the air rushed out of his lungs and she grabbed his blaster hand and whipped it up into his face, the top of his Stryker Pistol making a wet crunching sound with the space in between his two sets of eyes. At the same time she wrenched the pistol away and shot the Asari behind Sparatus a second before she could pull her own trigger.

Sparatus didn't even have time to shoot her a look, as he kicked out at the Salarian next to her, taking the pistol from his outstretched hand as he fell backwards. Crouching down behind their rostrum's they began firing down the platform at 'Councilor' Esheel and her bodyguards, who were firing at the garden.

Ven felt the shots coming before he led the raiders down the ship's ramp. He also knew he could not deflect them as consistently as he could a blaster shot back home. To counter that they Force ran to the back of the platform, while the Mandalorians rocketed out the back of the ship, Garrus under the arms of Osik, and up over the platform, firing down as they flew overhead. They dropped Garrus and his sniper rifle on an upper balcony and he wasted no time setting up and sending perfectly placed shots down range. Their move took the heat off the Jedi and Kaiden as they Force leapt on to the platform, landing in front of a wholly surprised enemy.

They quickly cut through the defenders left there and linked up with Ashley and a Turian, and began moving down the Tower's extended walkup towards the fleeing Sol'nothea.

At the second flight of stairs they ran into a stiffer line of resistance, but Mirdala and Osik landed behind them and quickly turned the tide. Continuing their lightning fast attack to bring them in range of the enemy's omni-blade rather than their blasters was paying off. The extendable silicon carbinoid weapon was no match for their lightsabers, and the short melee weapons could be seen flying off the battle in every direction, always with the wearers forearm attached.

Finally they reached the last flight of steps. It was their last stand, but Sol'nothea eas still nowhere to be found.

"Come Primarch, if we can get to our forces in the Presidium, we can retake the tower" Elsana said, pulling her leader towards the elevator bank at the back of the foyer. The Primarch's eyes blazed like black fire but she let the protective shell almost carry her out of danger.

Elsana was closest and hit the key to call the lift. It opened before took her hand from the pad and revealed…her sister. "Liara?"

Her soft, disbelieving voice was met by a wave of biotic energy that knocked them all over. "Hello sister" she said as she brought a booted foot across her face. The two human C-Sec guards that came out from behind her leveled their rifles at the writhing mass on the ground.

"Don't move!" the agent snapped as a Salarian rolled away to reveal Sol'nothea, her hand outstretched. The agent lifted off the ground and his body twisted in completely unnatural ways. The sound of screams and popping bones audible over the din of battle on the stairs behind them.

Liara activated her own shields and brought up her pistol as the other guard had his legs swept out from under him by the Primarch's staff. She brought its sharp point down into his chest, activating its shield at the same time to block Liara's close range shots.

Liara turned the pistol on the Asari beside Sol'nothea, but the others were rising too fast. She cursed herself and used her own considerable biotic ability to leap out of danger and over the heads of the combatants on the steps behind them.

Ven blocked another overhead swing from the Krogan's omni-blade. He heard his 2nd cry from their own side and glanced over to see Onodesa behead a Vorcha in front of him, but looked down to see the alien's omni blade was still lodged into his lower right side, just between his chest and back plating.

"No!" his Padawan yelled, slashing and kicking her way towards him.

"Nair! Focus!" he yelled. His own distraction allowed the Krogan to level his shotgun at him.

A lesser Jedi would've allowed his emotions for his Padawan to sever his focus in the Force, but Ven Sala was not a lesser Jedi. He re-centered himself, pushed out towards the Krogan's weapon hand and sent the gun flying. The Force of the push spun the big reptilian around and Ven impaled him from behind. The site of a member of the Vanguard's inner circle sliding limply down the stairs was enough to break the spirit of the remaining biotics. Across the foyer they began laying down their pistols and deactivating their omni-weapons.

It was at that moment that Nair let herself go and ran towards her fallen boyfriend. She scooped him up in her arms as his bloodied master stood over them both. Ven knew Osik had also been killed, but Mirdala was beside him, helping to restrain the surrendered Vanguard. He didn't know why, but that fact, coupled with Nair's weeping embarrassed him. _This is why we don't form attachments_ was all he could think. But Rand Jonibe appearing beside him quickly reminded him of his hypocrisy. For they had even been a couple of years older than Nair and Onodesa before they broke off their long running affair.

"Go to her" Rand said softly. "We got them".

He thanked her with his eyes and walked quickly to his Padawan, kneeling down and pulling her head into his shoulder.

"Liara!" Kaiden shouted as the Asari leapt down from the balcony.

"Hey little Shepherd" she said with a hug.

"You came?"

"blood or no blood, I couldn't live with her actions on my conscience".

"How did you get through the Wards? The Presidium?" Kaiden asked pushing her to arm's length.

"Wrex" she said with a smile.

"He's here?"

"They all are. It was their assault that got the station back under control. As they did the reinforcements in the Presidium were called away. Me and a couple of loyal C-Sec agents took care of the rest…they didn't make it".

"I missed her" Garrus's voice came from behind them. "I can't believe I missed her. She moved her head at the last second…like she knew I had her in my sights" he finished as he walked up, his sniper rifle cradled in his arms.

"That's because she did. She's more powerful than any of you. You have don-" _whack!_ Mirdala struck the Asari across the face with the back of her hand.

"Mirdala" Rand chided.

"You'll get another shot" Kaiden said, ignoring the outburst.

"I'll stay with Nair and keep them under guard until C-Sec arrives" Ven said standing up with Nair.

"No, I'll stay with her" Gaedus said. "I don't want to leave him…besides you're a lot younger than me".

Ven looked at Nair and she consented. "Alright then, lets move out. We got a station to take back".


	21. Chapter 21

**Epilogue**

Three days had passed since the end of the Second Battle for the Citadel. Wrex's Krogan had swept through Zakeri and Tayseri Ward like a controlled burn. They even linked up with the four man Mando squad that had been marooned on Zakera when the fighting started. By the time the Jedi and the others had made it through the Presidium, the traitorous C-Sec agents were already surrendering the Krogan backed loyal C-Sec units. The sight of human C-Sec agents and Krogan working together with Elcor and Hanar administrators was a PR coup. The revelation of Ven Sala and the others was something else entirely. Mirdala was especially popular with the non-humans of Citadel space. And the vid of the Asari receptionist digging an omni-blade into the back of the non-human Jedi rubbed a lot of the luster off the Vaguard's message. Sparatus and Ashley had decided not to reveal the details of the new galaxy…for the time being anyway. The only gray in their silver cloud was the fact that Sol'nothea had slipped through their fingers. Apparently she had sacrificed whatever defensive positioning her people held in order to get her off the station.

"Don't think about making a connection, just think about breathing". Ven sat cross legged on the carpeted floor of Kaiden's living room.

Across from him Kaiden sat in an identical position. "I am focusing on my breathing" she huffed out the corner of her mouth.

"No you're not. You're thinking about why you can't connect, and it's angering you. Your temper is all that keeps you from the control needed to live in the Force".

He felt her hand take his and he looked up. "Ven, stay here…with me, I mean train me".

He gave her hand a squeeze. "Kaiden, I have a du-"

For all his foresight and power in the Force, he never saw her lean across the space between them and plant her lips on his until she had already done it. She broke the kiss before he could kiss her back…which was good, because he hadn't decided whether he was going to or not. "You're the only thing that centers me. When I'm with you, I'm not chasing down the legend of my father".

"Kaiden I care-" _ding._ The door comm was followed by a voice from the wall vid panel.

The bone like face of Garrus enveloped the frame. "He kid, it's Liara, she says her sister is talking…finally".

She looked at him again but he shook her off, making it clear this was more important than what he had to say.

They took Garrus's flyer to C-Sec headquarters in the Presidium. They found Liara standing outside her sister's energized cell, her arms folded across her chest.

"Liara, what is it?" Kaiden asked, moving quickly across the room.

The Asari just nodded at her sister. "You tell them".

The younger Asari in the cell looked defeated. She sat in her cell' wall length bench, her head in her hands. "Esuna!" She snapped.

It took a moment but her head finally lifted out of her hands and she looked at the foursome. "I told Sol'nothea about the wormhole".

"She was watching us on Ilium" Liara answered the unvoiced question.

"Looks like we're staying together for a while longer after all" Kaiden said.


End file.
